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Damm AS, Reyer F, Langhoff L, Lin YP, Falcone FH, Kraiczy P. Multifunctional interaction of CihC/FbpC orthologs of relapsing fever spirochetes with host-derived proteins involved in adhesion, fibrinolysis, and complement evasion. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1390468. [PMID: 38726006 PMCID: PMC11079166 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1390468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Relapsing fever (RF) remains a neglected human disease that is caused by a number of diverse pathogenic Borrelia (B.) species. Characterized by high cell densities in human blood, relapsing fever spirochetes have developed plentiful strategies to avoid recognition by the host defense mechanisms. In this scenario, spirochetal lipoproteins exhibiting multifunctional binding properties in the interaction with host-derived molecules are known to play a key role in adhesion, fibrinolysis and complement activation. Methods Binding of CihC/FbpC orthologs to different human proteins and conversion of protein-bound plasminogen to proteolytic active plasmin were examined by ELISA. To analyze the inhibitory capacity of CihC/FbpC orthologs on complement activation, a microtiter-based approach was performed. Finally, AlphaFold predictions were utilized to identified the complement-interacting residues. Results and discussion Here, we elucidate the binding properties of CihC/FbpC-orthologs from distinct RF spirochetes including B. parkeri, B. hermsii, B. turicatae, and B. recurrentis to human fibronectin, plasminogen, and complement component C1r. All CihC/FbpC-orthologs displayed similar binding properties to fibronectin, plasminogen, and C1r, respectively. Functional studies revealed a dose dependent binding of plasminogen to all borrelial proteins and conversion to active plasmin. The proteolytic activity of plasmin was almost completely abrogated by tranexamic acid, indicating that lysine residues are involved in the interaction with this serine protease. In addition, a strong inactivation capacity toward the classical pathway could be demonstrated for the wild-type CihC/FbpC-orthologs as well as for the C-terminal CihC fragment of B. recurrentis. Pre-incubation of human serum with borrelial molecules except CihC/FbpC variants lacking the C-terminal region protected serum-susceptible Borrelia cells from complement-mediated lysis. Utilizing AlphaFold2 predictions and existing crystal structures, we mapped the putative key residues involved in C1r binding on the CihC/FbpC orthologs attempting to explain the relatively small differences in C1r binding affinity despite the substitutions of key residues. Collectively, our data advance the understanding of the multiple binding properties of structural and functional highly similar molecules of relapsing fever spirochetes proposed to be involved in pathogenesis and virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Sophie Damm
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Flavia Reyer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Luisa Langhoff
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, United States
| | - Franco Harald Falcone
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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Cramer NA, Socarras KM, Earl J, Ehrlich GD, Marconi RT. Borreliella burgdorferi factor H-binding proteins are not required for serum resistance and infection in mammals. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0052923. [PMID: 38289123 PMCID: PMC10929407 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00529-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The causative agent of Lyme disease (LD), Borreliella burgdorferi, binds factor H (FH) and other complement regulatory proteins to its surface. B. burgdorferi B31 (type strain) encodes five FH-binding proteins (FHBPs): CspZ, CspA, and the OspE paralogs OspEBBN38, OspEBBL39, and OspEBBP38. This study assessed potential correlations between the production of individual FHBPs, FH-binding ability, and serum resistance using a panel of infectious B. burgdorferi clonal populations recovered from dogs. FHBP production was assessed in cultivated spirochetes and by antibody responses in naturally infected humans, dogs, and eastern coyotes (wild canids). FH binding specificity and sensitivity to dog and human serum were also assessed and compared. No correlation was observed between the production of individual FHBPs and FH binding with serum resistance, and CspA was determined to not be produced in animals. Notably, one or more clones isolated from dogs lacked CspZ or the OspE proteins (a finding confirmed by genome sequence determination) and did not bind FH derived from canines. The data presented do not support a correlation between FH binding and the production of individual FHBPs with serum resistance and infectivity. In addition, the limited number and polymorphic nature of cp32s in B. burgdorferi clone DRI85A that were identified through genome sequencing suggest no strict requirement for a defined set of these replicons for infectivity. This study reveals that the immune evasion mechanisms employed by B. burgdorferi are diverse, complex, and yet to be fully defined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A. Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Kalya M. Socarras
- Department of Microbiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joshua Earl
- Department of Microbiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Garth D. Ehrlich
- Department of Microbiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Richard T. Marconi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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3
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Koloski CW, Hurry G, Foley-Eby A, Adam H, Goldstein S, Zvionow P, Detmer SE, Voordouw MJ. Male C57BL/6J mice have higher presence and abundance of Borrelia burgdorferi in their ventral skin compared to female mice. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102308. [PMID: 38215632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is a tick-borne spirochete that causes Lyme disease in humans. The host immune system controls the abundance of the spirochete in the host tissues. Recent work with immunocompetent Mus musculus mice strain C3H/HeJ found that males had a higher tissue infection prevalence and spirochete load compared to females. The purpose of this study was to determine whether host sex and acquired immunity interact to influence the prevalence and abundance of spirochetes in the tissues of the commonly used mouse strain C57BL/6. Wildtype (WT) mice and their SCID counterparts (C57BL/6) were experimentally infected with B. burgdorferi via tick bite. Ear biopsies were sampled at weeks 4, 8, and 12 post-infection (PI) and five tissues (left ear, ventral skin, heart, tibiotarsal joint of left hind leg, and liver) were collected at necropsy (16 weeks PI). The mean spirochete load in the tissues of the SCID mice was 260.4x higher compared to the WT mice. In WT mice, the infection prevalence in the ventral skin was significantly higher in males (40.0 %) compared to females (0.0 %), and the spirochete load in the rear tibiotarsal joint was significantly higher (4.3x) in males compared to females. In SCID mice, the spirochete load in the ventral skin was 200.0x higher in males compared to females, but there were no significant sex-specific difference in spirochete load in the other tissues (left ear, heart, tibiotarsal joint, or liver). Thus, the absence of acquired immunity greatly amplified the spirochete load in the ventral skin of male mice. It is important to note that the observed sex-specific differences in laboratory mice cannot be extrapolated to humans. Future studies should investigate the mechanisms underlying the male bias in the abundance of B. burgdorferi in the mouse skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody W Koloski
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Georgia Hurry
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Alexandra Foley-Eby
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Hesham Adam
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Savannah Goldstein
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Pini Zvionow
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Susan E Detmer
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Maarten J Voordouw
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
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Pearson P, Rich C, Siegel EL, Brisson D, Rich SM. Differential Resistance of Borrelia burgdorferi Clones to Human Serum-Mediated Killing Does Not Correspond to Their Predicted Invasiveness. Pathogens 2023; 12:1238. [PMID: 37887754 PMCID: PMC10609869 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Reservoir host associations have been observed among and within Borrelia genospecies, and host complement-mediated killing is a major determinant in these interactions. In North America, only a subset of Borrelia burgdorferi lineages cause the majority of disseminated infections in humans. We hypothesize that differential resistance to human complement-mediated killing may be a major phenotypic determinant of whether a lineage can establish systemic infection. As a corollary, we hypothesize that borreliacidal action may differ among human subjects. To test these hypotheses, we isolated primary B. burgdorferi clones from field-collected ticks and determined whether the killing effects of human serum differed among those clones in vitro and/or whether these effects were consistent among human sera. Clones associated with human invasiveness did not show higher survival in human serum compared to noninvasive clones. These results indicate that differential complement-mediated killing of B. burgdorferi lineages is not a determinant of invasiveness in humans. Only one significant difference in the survivorship of individual clones incubated in different human sera was detected, suggesting that complement-mediated killing of B. burgdorferi is usually similar among humans. Mechanisms other than differential human complement-mediated killing of B. burgdorferi lineages likely explain why only certain lineages cause the majority of disseminated human infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Pearson
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (P.P.); (C.R.); (E.L.S.)
| | - Connor Rich
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (P.P.); (C.R.); (E.L.S.)
| | - Eric L. Siegel
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (P.P.); (C.R.); (E.L.S.)
| | - Dustin Brisson
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Stephen M. Rich
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; (P.P.); (C.R.); (E.L.S.)
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Genné D, Jiricka W, Sarr A, Voordouw MJ. Tick-to-host transmission differs between Borrelia afzelii strains. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0167523. [PMID: 37676027 PMCID: PMC10580945 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01675-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many vector-borne pathogens establish multiple-strain infections in the vertebrate host and the arthropod vector. Multiple-strain infections in the host influence strain acquisition by naive vectors. Whether multiple-strain infections in the vector influence strain-specific transmission to naive hosts remains unknown. The spirochete, Borrelia afzelii, causes Lyme borreliosis and multiple-strain infections are common in both the tick vector and vertebrate host. Our study used two B. afzelii strains: Fin-Jyv-A3 and NE4049. Donor mice were infected with Fin-Jyv-A3 alone, NE4049 alone, or with both strains. Larval ticks fed on donor mice and molted into nymphal ticks infected with either strain or both strains. These nymphs were fed on test mice to determine whether multiple-strain infections in the nymph influence nymph-to-host transmission (NHT). Multiple-strain infection in the donor mice reduced the acquisition of both strains by ticks by 23%. Thus, a substantial fraction of infected nymphs from the multiple strain treatment were infected with the "wrong" competitor strain rather than the "right" focal strain. As a result, nymphs from the multiple strain treatment were 46% less likely to infect the test mice with the focal strain compared to nymphs from the single strain treatment. However, multiple-strain infection in the nymphal tick had no effect on the NHT of either strain. The nymphal spirochete load of Fin-Jyv-A3 was 1.9 times higher compared to NE4049. NHT of Fin-Jyv-A3 (79%) was 1.5 times higher compared to NE4049 (53%). Our study suggests that B. afzelii strains with higher nymphal spirochete loads have higher NHT. IMPORTANCE For many vector-borne pathogens, multiple-strain infections in the vertebrate host or arthropod vector are common. Multiple-strain infections in the host reduce strain acquisition by feeding vectors. Whether multiple-strain infections in the vector influence strain transmission to the host remains unknown. In our study, we used two strains of the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia afzelii, which causes Lyme borreliosis, to investigate whether multiple-strain infections in the nymphal tick influenced nymph-to-host transmission (NHT) of strains. Multiple-strain infections in mice reduced the acquisition of both B. afzelii strains by nymphal ticks. As a result, nymphs from the multiple strain treatment were less likely to infect naive test mice with the focal strain. Multiple-strain infection in the nymphal ticks did not influence the NHT of either strain. The strain with the higher bacterial abundance in the nymph had higher NHT. Our study suggests that pathogen abundance in the arthropod vector is important for vector-to-host transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolores Genné
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Whitney Jiricka
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Anouk Sarr
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Maarten J. Voordouw
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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6
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Roy S, Booth CE, Powell-Pierce AD, Schulz AM, Skare JT, Garcia BL. Conformational dynamics of complement protease C1r inhibitor proteins from Lyme disease- and relapsing fever-causing spirochetes. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104972. [PMID: 37380082 PMCID: PMC10413161 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelial pathogens are vector-borne etiological agents known to cause Lyme disease, relapsing fever, and Borrelia miyamotoi disease. These spirochetes each encode several surface-localized lipoproteins that bind components of the human complement system to evade host immunity. One borrelial lipoprotein, BBK32, protects the Lyme disease spirochete from complement-mediated attack via an alpha helical C-terminal domain that interacts directly with the initiating protease of the classical complement pathway, C1r. In addition, the B. miyamotoi BBK32 orthologs FbpA and FbpB also inhibit C1r, albeit via distinct recognition mechanisms. The C1r-inhibitory activities of a third ortholog termed FbpC, which is found exclusively in relapsing fever-causing spirochetes, remains unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of Borrelia hermsii FbpC to a limiting resolution of 1.5 Å. We used surface plasmon resonance and assays of complement function to demonstrate that FbpC retains potent BBK32-like anticomplement activities. Based on the structure of FbpC, we hypothesized that conformational dynamics of the complement inhibitory domains of borrelial C1r inhibitors may differ. To test this, we utilized the crystal structures of the C-terminal domains of BBK32, FbpA, FbpB, and FbpC to carry out molecular dynamics simulations, which revealed borrelial C1r inhibitors adopt energetically favored open and closed states defined by two functionally critical regions. Taken together, these results advance our understanding of how protein dynamics contribute to the function of bacterial immune evasion proteins and reveal a surprising plasticity in the structures of borrelial C1r inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Roy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Charles E Booth
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandra D Powell-Pierce
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA
| | - Anna M Schulz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jon T Skare
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas, USA.
| | - Brandon L Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
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7
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Roy S, Booth CE, Powell-Pierce AD, Schulz AM, Skare JT, Garcia BL. "Conformational dynamics of C1r inhibitor proteins from Lyme disease and relapsing fever spirochetes". BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.01.530473. [PMID: 36909632 PMCID: PMC10002728 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.01.530473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Borrelial pathogens are vector-borne etiological agents of Lyme disease, relapsing fever, and Borrelia miyamotoi disease. These spirochetes each encode several surface-localized lipoproteins that bind to components of the human complement system. BBK32 is an example of a borrelial lipoprotein that protects the Lyme disease spirochete from complement-mediated attack. The complement inhibitory activity of BBK32 arises from an alpha helical C-terminal domain that interacts directly with the initiating protease of the classical pathway, C1r. Borrelia miyamotoi spirochetes encode BBK32 orthologs termed FbpA and FbpB, and these proteins also inhibit C1r, albeit via distinct recognition mechanisms. The C1r-inhibitory activities of a third ortholog termed FbpC, which is found exclusively in relapsing fever spirochetes, remains unknown. Here we report the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of B. hermsii FbpC to a limiting resolution of 1.5 Å. Surface plasmon resonance studies and assays of complement function demonstrate that FbpC retains potent BBK32-like anti-complement activities. Based on the structure of FbpC, we hypothesized that conformational dynamics of the complement inhibitory domains of borrelial C1r inhibitors may differ. To test this, we utilized the crystal structures of the C-terminal domains of BBK32, FbpA, FbpB, and FbpC to carry out 1 µs molecular dynamics simulations, which revealed borrelial C1r inhibitors adopt energetically favored open and closed states defined by two functionally critical regions. This study advances our understanding of how protein dynamics contribute to the function of bacterial immune evasion proteins and reveals a surprising plasticity in the structures of borrelial C1r inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Roy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Charles E. Booth
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Alexandra D. Powell-Pierce
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Anna M. Schulz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jon T. Skare
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX, United States of America
| | - Brandon L. Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
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Garrigues RJ, Powell-Pierce AD, Hammel M, Skare JT, Garcia BL. A Structural Basis for Inhibition of the Complement Initiator Protease C1r by Lyme Disease Spirochetes. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2021; 207:2856-2867. [PMID: 34759015 PMCID: PMC8612984 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Complement evasion is a hallmark of extracellular microbial pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Lyme disease spirochetes express nearly a dozen outer surface lipoproteins that bind complement components and interfere with their native activities. Among these, BBK32 is unique in its selective inhibition of the classical pathway. BBK32 blocks activation of this pathway by selectively binding and inhibiting the C1r serine protease of the first component of complement, C1. To understand the structural basis for BBK32-mediated C1r inhibition, we performed crystallography and size-exclusion chromatography-coupled small angle X-ray scattering experiments, which revealed a molecular model of BBK32-C in complex with activated human C1r. Structure-guided site-directed mutagenesis was combined with surface plasmon resonance binding experiments and assays of complement function to validate the predicted molecular interface. Analysis of the structures shows that BBK32 inhibits activated forms of C1r by occluding substrate interaction subsites (i.e., S1 and S1') and reveals a surprising role for C1r B loop-interacting residues for full inhibitory activity of BBK32. The studies reported in this article provide for the first time (to our knowledge) a structural basis for classical pathway-specific inhibition by a human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Garrigues
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
| | - Alexandra D Powell-Pierce
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan/College Station, TX; and
| | - Michal Hammel
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
| | - Jon T Skare
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan/College Station, TX; and
| | - Brandon L Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC;
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Sürth V, Lopes de Carvalho I, Núncio MS, Norte AC, Kraiczy P. Bactericidal activity of avian complement: a contribution to understand avian-host tropism of Lyme borreliae. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:451. [PMID: 34488849 PMCID: PMC8420066 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04959-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Complement has been considered as an important factor impacting the host-pathogen association of spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, and may play a role in the spirochete's ecology. Birds are known to be important hosts for ticks and in the maintenance of borreliae. Recent field surveys and laboratory transmission studies indicated that certain avian species act as reservoir hosts for different Borrelia species. Nevertheless, our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms determining host tropism of Borrelia is still in its fledgling stage. Concerning the role of complement in avian-host tropism, only a few bird species and Borrelia species have been analysed so far. Here, we performed in vitro serum bactericidal assays with serum samples collected from four bird species including the European robin Erithacus rubecula, the great tit Parus major, the Eurasian blackbird Turdus merula, and the racing pigeon Columba livia, as well as four Borrelia species (B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. valaisiana, and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto). From July to September 2019, juvenile wild birds were caught using mist nets in Portugal. Racing pigeons were sampled in a loft in October 2019. Independent of the bird species analysed, all Borrelia species displayed an intermediate serum-resistant or serum-resistant phenotype except for B. afzelii challenged with serum from blackbirds. This genospecies was efficiently killed by avian complement, suggesting that blackbirds served as dead-end hosts for B. afzelii. In summary, these findings suggest that complement contributes in the avian-spirochete-tick infection cycle and in Borrelia-host tropism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Sürth
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Isabel Lopes de Carvalho
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Dr. Francisco Cambournac, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.,Institute of Environmental Health (ISAMB), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Sofia Núncio
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Dr. Francisco Cambournac, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal.,Institute of Environmental Health (ISAMB), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Cláudia Norte
- Centre for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Dr. Francisco Cambournac, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal. .,Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
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Hamilton PT, Maluenda E, Sarr A, Belli A, Hurry G, Duron O, Plantard O, Voordouw MJ. Borrelia afzelii Infection in the Rodent Host Has Dramatic Effects on the Bacterial Microbiome of Ixodes ricinus Ticks. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0064121. [PMID: 34191531 PMCID: PMC8388833 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00641-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiome of blood-sucking arthropods can shape their competence to acquire and maintain infections with vector-borne pathogens. We used a controlled study to investigate the interactions between Borrelia afzelii, which causes Lyme borreliosis in Europe, and the bacterial microbiome of Ixodes ricinus, its primary tick vector. We applied a surface sterilization treatment to I. ricinus eggs to produce dysbiosed tick larvae that had a low bacterial abundance and a changed bacterial microbiome compared to those of the control larvae. Dysbiosed and control larvae fed on B. afzelii-infected mice and uninfected control mice, and the engorged larvae were left to molt into nymphs. The nymphs were tested for B. afzelii infection, and their bacterial microbiome underwent 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Surprisingly, larval dysbiosis had no effect on the vector competence of I. ricinus for B. afzelii, as the nymphal infection prevalence and the nymphal spirochete load were the same between the dysbiosed group and the control group. The strong effect of egg surface sterilization on the tick bacterial microbiome largely disappeared once the larvae molted into nymphs. The most important determinant of the bacterial microbiome of I. ricinus nymphs was the B. afzelii infection status of the mouse on which the nymphs had fed as larvae. Nymphs that had taken their larval blood meal from an infected mouse had a less abundant but more diverse bacterial microbiome than the control nymphs. Our study demonstrates that vector-borne infections in the vertebrate host shape the microbiome of the arthropod vector. IMPORTANCE Many blood-sucking arthropods transmit pathogens that cause infectious disease. For example, Ixodes ricinus ticks transmit the bacterium Borrelia afzelii, which causes Lyme disease in humans. Ticks also have a microbiome, which can influence their ability to acquire and transmit tick-borne pathogens such as B. afzelii. We sterilized I. ricinus eggs with bleach, and the tick larvae that hatched from these eggs had a dramatically reduced and changed bacterial microbiome compared to that of control larvae. These larvae fed on B. afzelii-infected mice, and the resultant nymphs were tested for B. afzelii and for their bacterial microbiome. We found that our manipulation of the bacterial microbiome had no effect on the ability of the tick larvae to acquire and maintain populations of B. afzelii. In contrast, we found that B. afzelii infection had dramatic effects on the bacterial microbiome of I. ricinus nymphs. Our study demonstrates that infections in the vertebrate host can shape the tick microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elodie Maluenda
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Anouk Sarr
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Belli
- Laboratory of Ecology and Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Georgia Hurry
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Olivier Duron
- Centre of Research in Ecology and Evolution of Diseases (CREES), Montpellier, France
- MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | | | - Maarten J. Voordouw
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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11
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Coburn J, Garcia B, Hu LT, Jewett MW, Kraiczy P, Norris SJ, Skare J. Lyme Disease Pathogenesis. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2020; 42:473-518. [PMID: 33353871 DOI: 10.21775/cimb.042.473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease Borrelia are obligately parasitic, tick- transmitted, invasive, persistent bacterial pathogens that cause disease in humans and non-reservoir vertebrates primarily through the induction of inflammation. During transmission from the infected tick, the bacteria undergo significant changes in gene expression, resulting in adaptation to the mammalian environment. The organisms multiply and spread locally and induce inflammatory responses that, in humans, result in clinical signs and symptoms. Borrelia virulence involves a multiplicity of mechanisms for dissemination and colonization of multiple tissues and evasion of host immune responses. Most of the tissue damage, which is seen in non-reservoir hosts, appears to result from host inflammatory reactions, despite the low numbers of bacteria in affected sites. This host response to the Lyme disease Borrelia can cause neurologic, cardiovascular, arthritic, and dermatologic manifestations during the disseminated and persistent stages of infection. The mechanisms by which a paucity of organisms (in comparison to many other infectious diseases) can cause varied and in some cases profound inflammation and symptoms remains mysterious but are the subjects of diverse ongoing investigations. In this review, we provide an overview of virulence mechanisms and determinants for which roles have been demonstrated in vivo, primarily in mouse models of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer Coburn
- Center For Infectious Disease Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., TBRC C3980, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Brandon Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Linden T Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Vice Dean of Research, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Mollie W Jewett
- Immunity and Pathogenesis Division Head, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd. Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Steven J Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, P.O. Box 20708, Houston, TX 77225, USA
| | - Jon Skare
- Professor and Associate Head, Texas A and M University, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
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12
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Abstract
Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is a tick-borne, zoonosis of adults and children caused by genospecies of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The ailment, widespread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, continues to increase globally due to multiple environmental factors, coupled with increased incursion of humans into habitats that harbor the spirochete. B. burgdorferi sensu lato is transmitted by ticks from the Ixodes ricinus complex. In North America, B. burgdorferi causes nearly all infections; in Europe, B. afzelii and B. garinii are most associated with human disease. The spirochete's unusual fragmented genome encodes a plethora of differentially expressed outer surface lipoproteins that play a seminal role in the bacterium's ability to sustain itself within its enzootic cycle and cause disease when transmitted to its incidental human host. Tissue damage and symptomatology (i.e., clinical manifestations) result from the inflammatory response elicited by the bacterium and its constituents. The deposition of spirochetes into human dermal tissue generates a local inflammatory response that manifests as erythema migrans (EM), the hallmark skin lesion. If treated appropriately and early, the prognosis is excellent. However, in untreated patients, the disease may present with a wide range of clinical manifestations, most commonly involving the central nervous system, joints, or heart. A small percentage (~10%) of patients may go on to develop a poorly defined fibromyalgia-like illness, post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD) unresponsive to prolonged antimicrobial therapy. Below we integrate current knowledge regarding the ecologic, epidemiologic, microbiologic, and immunologic facets of Lyme disease into a conceptual framework that sheds light on the disorder that healthcare providers encounter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin D. Radolf
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Departments of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Klemen Strle
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, NY Department of Health, Albany NY, 12208, USA
| | - Jacob E. Lemieux
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Franc Strle
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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13
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Skare JT, Garcia BL. Complement Evasion by Lyme Disease Spirochetes. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:889-899. [PMID: 32482556 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The complement system is an ancient arm of the innate immune system that plays important roles in pathogen recognition and elimination. Upon activation by microbes, complement opsonizes bacterial surfaces, recruits professional phagocytes, and causes bacteriolysis. Borreliella species are spirochetal bacteria that are transmitted to vertebrate hosts via infected Ixodes ticks and are the etiologic agents of Lyme disease. Pathogens that traffic in blood and other body fluids, like Borreliella, have evolved means to evade complement. Lyme disease spirochetes interfere with complement by producing a small arsenal of outer-surface lipoproteins that bind host complement components and manipulate their native activities. Here we review the current landscape of complement evasion by Lyme disease spirochetes and provide an update on recent discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon T Skare
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan/College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Brandon L Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
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14
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Lin YP, Diuk-Wasser MA, Stevenson B, Kraiczy P. Complement Evasion Contributes to Lyme Borreliae-Host Associations. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:634-645. [PMID: 32456964 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere and is caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Lyme borreliae infect diverse vertebrate reservoirs without triggering apparent manifestations in these animals; however, Lyme borreliae strains differ in their reservoir hosts. The mechanisms that drive those differences are unknown. To survive in vertebrate hosts, Lyme borreliae require the ability to escape from host defense mechanisms, in particular complement. To facilitate the evasion of complement, Lyme borreliae produce diverse proteins at different stages of infection, allowing them to persistently survive without being recognized by hosts and potentially resulting in host-specific infection. This review discusses the current knowledge regarding the ecology and evolutionary mechanisms of Lyme borreliae-host associations driven by complement evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Pin Lin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA; Department of Biomedical Science, State University of New York at Albany, NY, USA.
| | - Maria A Diuk-Wasser
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany.
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15
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How general are generalist parasites? The small mammal part of the Lyme disease transmission cycle in two ecosystems in northern Europe. Oecologia 2019; 190:115-126. [PMID: 31062166 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04411-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The pathogens causing Lyme disease are all vectored by generalist tick species found on a wide range of vertebrates, but spatial and annual variation in host use has rarely been quantified. We here compare the load of Ixodes ricinus (the vector) on small mammals and investigate the infection prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (the pathogen) involved in the enzootic transmission cycle of Lyme disease in two contrasting ecosystems in Norway from 2014 to 2016. The most common larval tick host in the eastern region was the bank vole, while the common shrew dominated in the western region of Norway. However, the wood mouse and the bank vole had consistently higher larval tick loads than the common shrew in both ecosystems. Hence, the evidence indicated that species are differently suitable as hosts, regardless of their abundances. The pathogen infection prevalence was similar among small mammal species, but markedly higher in the region with larger small mammal populations and higher tick loads, while the seasonal and annual variation was less marked. Our study indicated that the generalist I. ricinus shows consistent patterns of load on species of small vertebrate hosts, while B. burgdorferi s.l. (B. afzelii) was a true generalist. The similar roles of host species across regions suggest that disease dynamics can be predicted from host community composition, but predicting the role of host community composition for disease dynamics requires a detailed understanding of the different species population limitations under global change.
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16
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Mühleip JJ, Lin YP, Kraiczy P. Further Insights Into the Interaction of Human and Animal Complement Regulator Factor H With Viable Lyme Disease Spirochetes. Front Vet Sci 2019; 5:346. [PMID: 30766876 PMCID: PMC6365980 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex differ in their ability to establish infection and to survive in diverse vertebrate hosts. Association with and adaption to various hosts most likely correlates with the spirochetes' ability to acquire complement regulator factor H (FH) to overcome the host's innate immune response. Here we assessed binding of serum FH from human and various animals including bovine, cat, chicken, dog, horse, mouse, rabbit, and rat to viable B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. spielmanii, B. valaisiana, and B. lusitaniae. Spirochetes ectopically producing CspA orthologs of B. burgdorferi s.s., B. afzelii, and B. spielmanii, CspZ, ErpC, and ErpP, respectively, were also investigated. Our comparative analysis using viable bacterial cells revealed a striking heterogeneity among Lyme disease spirochetes regarding their FH-binding patterns that almost mirrors the serum susceptibility of the respective borrelial genospecies. Moreover, native CspA from B. burgdorferi s.s., B. afzelii, and B. spielmanii as well as CspZ were identified as key ligands of FH from human, horse, and rat origin while ErpP appears to bind dog and mouse FH and to a lesser extent human FH. By contrast, ErpC did not bind FH from human as well as from animal origin. These findings indicate a strong restriction of distinct borrelial proteins toward binding of polymorphic FH of various vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Jasmin Mühleip
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Department of Biomedical Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, United States.,Division of Infectious Diseases, New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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17
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Regier Y, Komma K, Weigel M, Kraiczy P, Laisi A, Pulliainen AT, Hain T, Kempf VAJ. Combination of microbiome analysis and serodiagnostics to assess the risk of pathogen transmission by ticks to humans and animals in central Germany. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:11. [PMID: 30616666 PMCID: PMC6322329 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3240-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arthropod-borne diseases remain a major health-threat for humans and animals worldwide. To estimate the distribution of pathogenic agents and especially Bartonella spp., we conducted tick microbiome analysis and determination of the infection status of wild animals, pets and pet owners in the state of Hesse, Germany. RESULTS In total, 189 engorged ticks collected from 163 animals were tested. Selected ticks were analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS) and confirmatory PCRs, blood specimens of 48 wild animals were analyzed by PCR to confirm pathogen presence and sera of 54 dogs, one cat and 11 dog owners were analyzed by serology. Bartonella spp. were detected in 9.5% of all ticks and in the blood of 17 roe deer. Further data reveal the presence of the human and animal pathogenic species of genera in the family Spirochaetaceae (including Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia garinii), Bartonella spp. (mainly Bartonella schoenbuchensis), Rickettsia helvetica, Francisella tularensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in ticks. Co-infections with species of several genera were detected in nine ticks. One dog and five dog owners were seropositive for anti-Bartonella henselae-antibodies and one dog had antibodies against Rickettsia conorii. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a snapshot of pathogens circulating in ticks in central Germany. A broad range of tick-borne pathogens are present in ticks, and especially in wild animals, with possible implications for animal and human health. However, a low incidence of Bartonella spp., especially Bartonella henselae, was detected. The high number of various detected pathogens suggests that ticks might serve as an excellent sentinel to detect and monitor zoonotic human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Regier
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kassandra Komma
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Markus Weigel
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Arttu Laisi
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Center for Cancer, Infections and Immunity, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Arto T. Pulliainen
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Center for Cancer, Infections and Immunity, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Torsten Hain
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- University Hospital, Goethe-University, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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18
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Marcinkiewicz AL, Dupuis AP, Zamba-Campero M, Nowak N, Kraiczy P, Ram S, Kramer LD, Lin YP. Blood treatment of Lyme borreliae demonstrates the mechanism of CspZ-mediated complement evasion to promote systemic infection in vertebrate hosts. Cell Microbiol 2019; 21:e12998. [PMID: 30571845 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and Europe. The spirochetes are transmitted from mammalian and avian reservoir hosts to humans via ticks. Following tick bites, spirochetes colonize the host skin and then disseminate haematogenously to various organs, a process that requires this pathogen to evade host complement, an innate immune defence system. CspZ, a spirochete surface protein, facilitates resistance to complement-mediated killing in vitro by binding to the complement regulator, factor H (FH). Low expression levels of CspZ in spirochetes cultivated in vitro or during initiation of infection in vivo have been a major hurdle in delineating the role of this protein in pathogenesis. Here, we show that treatment of B. burgdorferi with human blood induces CspZ production and enhances resistance to complement. By contrast, a cspZ-deficient mutant and a strain that expressed an FH-nonbinding CspZ variant were impaired in their ability to cause bacteraemia and colonize tissues of mice or quail; virulence of these mutants was however restored in complement C3-deficient mice. These novel findings suggest that FH binding to CspZ facilitates B. burgdorferi complement evasion in vivo and promotes systemic infection in vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Marcinkiewicz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Alan P Dupuis
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Maxime Zamba-Campero
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Nancy Nowak
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sanjay Ram
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Laura D Kramer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
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19
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Hart T, Nguyen NTT, Nowak NA, Zhang F, Linhardt RJ, Diuk-Wasser M, Ram S, Kraiczy P, Lin YP. Polymorphic factor H-binding activity of CspA protects Lyme borreliae from the host complement in feeding ticks to facilitate tick-to-host transmission. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007106. [PMID: 29813137 PMCID: PMC5993331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), the causative agent of Lyme disease, establishes an initial infection in the host's skin following a tick bite, and then disseminates to distant organs, leading to multisystem manifestations. Tick-to-vertebrate host transmission requires that Bbsl survives during blood feeding. Complement is an important innate host defense in blood and interstitial fluid. Bbsl produces a polymorphic surface protein, CspA, that binds to a complement regulator, Factor H (FH) to block complement activation in vitro. However, the role that CspA plays in the Bbsl enzootic cycle remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that different CspA variants promote spirochete binding to FH to inactivate complement and promote serum resistance in a host-specific manner. Utilizing a tick-to-mouse transmission model, we observed that a cspA-knockout B. burgdorferi is eliminated from nymphal ticks in the first 24 hours of feeding and is unable to be transmitted to naïve mice. Conversely, ectopically producing CspA derived from B. burgdorferi or B. afzelii, but not B. garinii in a cspA-knockout strain restored spirochete survival in fed nymphs and tick-to-mouse transmission. Furthermore, a CspA point mutant, CspA-L246D that was defective in FH-binding, failed to survive in fed nymphs and at the inoculation site or bloodstream in mice. We also allowed those spirochete-infected nymphs to feed on C3-/- mice that lacked functional complement. The cspA-knockout B. burgdorferi or this mutant strain complemented with cspA variants or cspA-L246D was found at similar levels as wild type B. burgdorferi in the fed nymphs and mouse tissues. These novel findings suggest that the FH-binding activity of CspA protects spirochetes from complement-mediated killing in fed nymphal ticks, which ultimately allows Bbsl transmission to mammalian hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hart
- Department of Biological Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Ngoc Thien Thu Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nancy A. Nowak
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Fuming Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Linhardt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, United States of America
- Departments of Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, United States of America
| | - Maria Diuk-Wasser
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Sanjay Ram
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Hart T, Yang X, Pal U, Lin YP. Identification of Lyme borreliae proteins promoting vertebrate host blood-specific spirochete survival in Ixodes scapularis nymphs using artificial feeding chambers. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:1057-1063. [PMID: 29653905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-borne illness in Europe and the United States, is caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex and transmitted by Ixodes ticks. In humans, the spirochetes disseminate from the tick bite site to multiple tissues, leading to serious clinical manifestations. The ability of spirochetes to survive in ticks during blood feeding is thought to be essential for Lyme borreliae to be transmitted to different vertebrate hosts. This ability is partly attributed to several B. burgdorferi proteins, including BBA52 and Lp6.6, which promote spirochete survival in nymphal ticks feeding on mice. One of the strategies to identify such proteins without using live animals is to feed B. burgdorferi-infected ticks on blood via artificial feeding chambers. In previous studies, ticks were only fed on bovine blood in the feeding chambers. In this study, we used this chamber model and showed that I. scapularis ticks will not only acquire bovine blood but human and quail blood as well. The latter two are the incidental host and an avian host of Lyme borreliae, respectively. We also investigated the roles that BBA52 and Lp6.6 play in promoting spirochete survival in nymphal ticks fed on human or quail blood. After feeding on human blood, spirochete burdens in ticks infected with an lp6.6-deficient B. burgdorferi were significantly reduced, while bba52-deficient spirochete burdens in ticks remained unchanged, similar to the wild-type strain. No strain showed a change in spirochete burdens in ticks fed on quail blood. These results indicate that Lp6.6 plays a role for B. burgdorferi in nymphs fed on human but not quail blood. Such information also demonstrates that the artificial feeding chamber is a powerful tool to identify B. burgdorferi proteins that promote vertebrate host blood-specific spirochete survival in I. scapularis ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hart
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Albany, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Xiuli Yang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park and Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park and Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Albany, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA.
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Aslam B, Nisar MA, Khurshid M, Farooq Salamat MK. Immune escape strategies of Borrelia burgdorferi. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:1219-1237. [PMID: 28972415 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The borrelial resurge demonstrates that Borrelia burgdorferi is a persistent health problem. This spirochete is responsible for a global public health concern called Lyme disease. B. burgdorferi faces diverse environmental conditions of its vector and host during its life cycle. To circumvent the host immune system is a prominent feature of B. burgdorferi. To date, numerous studies have reported on the various mechanisms used by this pathogen to evade the host defense mechanisms. This current review attempts to consolidate this information to describe the immunological and molecular methods used by B. burgdorferi for its survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Aslam
- Department of Microbiology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Atif Nisar
- Department of Microbiology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Mohsin Khurshid
- Department of Microbiology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.,College of Allied Health Professionals, Directorate of Medical Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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Munderloh U. Comparative Studies in Tick-Borne Diseases in Animals and Humans. Vet Sci 2017; 4:vetsci4020032. [PMID: 29056691 PMCID: PMC5606598 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci4020032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Munderloh
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
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Durand J, Herrmann C, Genné D, Sarr A, Gern L, Voordouw MJ. Multistrain Infections with Lyme Borreliosis Pathogens in the Tick Vector. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:e02552-16. [PMID: 27836839 PMCID: PMC5244308 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02552-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mixed or multiple-strain infections are common in vector-borne diseases and have important implications for the epidemiology of these pathogens. Previous studies have mainly focused on interactions between pathogen strains in the vertebrate host, but little is known about what happens in the arthropod vector. Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii are two species of spirochete bacteria that cause Lyme borreliosis in Europe and that share a tick vector, Ixodes ricinus Each of these two tick-borne pathogens consists of multiple strains that are often differentiated using the highly polymorphic ospC gene. For each Borrelia species, we studied the frequencies and abundances of the ospC strains in a wild population of I. ricinus ticks that had been sampled from the same field site over a period of 3 years. We used quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 454 sequencing to estimate the spirochete load and the strain diversity within each tick. For B. afzelii, there was a negative relationship between the two most common ospC strains, suggesting the presence of competitive interactions in the vertebrate host and possibly the tick vector. The flat relationship between total spirochete abundance and strain richness in the nymphal tick indicates that the mean abundance per strain decreases as the number of strains in the tick increases. Strains with the highest spirochete load in the nymphal tick were the most common strains in the tick population. The spirochete abundance in the nymphal tick appears to be an important life history trait that explains why some strains are more common than others in nature. IMPORTANCE Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere and is caused by spirochete bacteria that belong to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex. These tick-borne pathogens are transmitted among vertebrate hosts by hard ticks of the genus Ixodes Each Borrelia species can be further subdivided into genetically distinct strains. Multiple-strain infections are common in both the vertebrate host and the tick vector and can result in competitive interactions. To date, few studies on multiple-strain vector-borne pathogens have investigated patterns of cooccurrence and abundance in the arthropod vector. We demonstrate that the abundance of a given strain in the tick vector is negatively affected by the presence of coinfecting strains. In addition, our study suggests that the spirochete abundance in the tick is an important life history trait that can explain why some strains are more common in nature than others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Durand
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Coralie Herrmann
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Dolores Genné
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Anouk Sarr
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Lise Gern
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Maarten J Voordouw
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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