Immunity directed against MSP 2 during anaplasmosis

描述(由申请人提供)：埃利希亚族的代理人导致 在人类和动物中传播的各种扁虱传播的疾病。其中许多 药剂持续存在于宿主中，从而充当进一步的潜在储藏者 疾病的传播。边缘无浆体在遗传上有密切关系(16S RRNA)与人粒细胞病原体吞噬E. 埃立克体病(HGE)。事实上，这两种生物都表达抗原性变异的外膜 膜蛋白，主要表面蛋白-2(MSP-2) N、C高度保守的氨基酸序列保守性 末端区域和中央亲水性高变区。级别 持续性无浆体病期间的立克次体半身症大约有两个数量级 急性感染期间的震级低于立克次体病水平，并且不 导致临床疾病。我们假设立克次体病的控制 显著低于急性临床无浆体病期间观察到的水平 是由于记忆中的CD4+Th细胞对MSP-2上的保守表位的反应 增强针对高变数的变异型特异性B细胞反应 区域。这项研究的结果将为深入了解 边缘拟青霉外膜蛋白疫苗的研制 其他会引起动物和人类疾病的埃利希菌， 尤其是与HGE密切相关的巨噬细胞嗜血杆菌

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Agents of the tribe Ehrlichiae cause a variety of tick-borne diseases in both humans and animals. Many of these agents persist in the host thus acting as potential reservoirs for further spread of disease. Anaplasma marginale is closely related genetically (16S rRNA) with E. phagocytophila, the causative agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). Indeed, both organisms express antigenically variant outer membrane proteins, major surface protein-2 (MSP-2) that share significant amino acid sequence conservation characterized by highly conserved N and C terminal regions and a central, hydrophilic, hypervariable region. Levels of rickettsemia during persistent anaplasmosis are approximately two orders of magnitude less than rickettsemia levels during acute infection and do not result in clinical disease. We hypothesize that the control of rickettsemia to levels significantly below those observed during acute clinical anaplasmosis is due to a memory CD4+ Th-cell response to conserved epitopes on MSP-2 that enhance variant specific B cell responses directed against the hypervariable region. The results of this research will provide insight into means of developing outer membrane protein-based vaccines against A. marginale and other ehrlichial organisms that cause disease in animals and humans, especially the closely related agent of HGE, E. phagocytophila