The cell-mediated immune response to Borrelia afzelii, garinii and burgdorferi in C57BL/6 mice is dependent on antigen specificity

Inbred C57BL/6 mice were challenged with Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and tested for antigen-specific T-c ell response in vitro. The sonicated preparations of in vitro grown spiroch etes were capable of stimulating polyclonal proliferation and specific cell -mediated response, depending on duration of the cell culture. Murine splen ocytes previously sensitized to B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), but not t hose from control mice, could be induced for antigen-specific proliferation in vitro. Moreover, detectable cell-mediated response could be induced onl y with antigen preparations derived from a corresponding strain but not wit h those obtained from Ether Borrelia genospecies as revealed by the [H-3]th ymidine incorporation assay. The current study considers that the strict B. burgdorferi s.l. antigen-specific response may also be expected in infecti ons in humans and contributes to the explanation of the frequently poor ant ibody- and cell-mediated immune response observed in patients diagnosed wit h Lyme disease. (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.