Immunogenicity of the Lyme disease antigen OspA, particleized by cobalt porphyrin-phospholipid liposomes

March 24, 2020

Title

Immunogenicity of the Lyme disease antigen OspA, particleized by cobalt porphyrin-phospholipid liposomes

Author

Jasmin Federizon, Amber Frye, Wei-Chiao Huang, Thomas M. Hart, Xuedan He, Christopher Beltran, Ashley L. Marcinkiewicz, Iain L. Mainprize, Melanie K. B. Wills, Yi-Pin Lin, Jonathan F. Lovell

Year

2019

Journal

Vaccine

Abstract

Outer surface protein A (OspA) is a Borrelia lipoprotein and an established Lyme disease vaccine target. Admixing non-lipidated, recombinant B. burgdorferi OspA with liposomes containing cobalt porphyrin-phospholipid (CoPoP) resulted in rapid, particulate surface display of the conformationally intact antigen. Particleization was serum-stable and led to enhanced antigen uptake in murine macrophages in vitro. Mouse immunization using CoPoP liposomes that also contained a synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A (PHAD) elicited a Th1-biased OspA antibody response with higher IgG production compared to other vaccine adjuvants. Antibodies were reactive with intact B. burgdorferi spirochetes and Borrelia lysates, and induced complement-mediated borreliacidal activity in vitro. One year after initial immunization, mice maintained high levels of circulating borreliacidal antibodies capable of blocking B. burgdorferi transmission from infected ticks to human blood in a feeding chamber.

Instrument

J-815

Keywords

Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, Protein folding, Biochemistry