User:Marvin O'Neal/OspA: Difference between revisions

Risk of developing Lyme disease can be <span style="color:red">mitigated</span> by staying clear of areas with populations of ticks, wearing proper attire <span style="color:red">to minimize easily bitten areas of the body</span>, and using <span style="color:red">insect repellents containing</span> [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEET DEET] (N,N-diethy-m-toluamide). However, <span style="color:red">another effective means for prevention could be possible</span> by using an outer surface protein from <i>Borrelia</i> <span style="color:red">in the development of</span> a vaccine <del>could also be an effective measure</del>.<ref name="nigrovic">PMID: 16893489</ref>

<span style="color:red">The membrane composition of <i>Borrelia</i> is abundant in both OspA and OspB, and the two proteins share a 53% similarity in their primary sequences. Both are also expressed in the tick's gut and downregulated during feeding and aid in its survivability; however, OspA is overall less varied and reactive than OspB, which has much more variability.<ref name="becker">PMID: 15713683</ref>

However OspA is more studied than OspB, and many studies related to OspA structure are developing and creating to make efficient vaccine against other Lyme diseases 4. The first vaccine against B. burgorferi sensu stricto was created targeting the OspA strain successfully 2 However this vaccine is unique in that it only works while Borrelia are still in the gut expressing OspA. (Ding) LYMErix, was discontinued in 2002 due to various weaknesses of the vaccine including its <80% efficacy, requirement for 3 doses, lack of data concerning the effects of the vaccine on children, and limitation of protection to the North American species of Borrelia. 6 To address this problem of international protection it would be helpful to create a chimera, mixing the OspA of different species. In order to do this the epitope of OspA should be studied. LA-2 <<SHOW FAB HIGHLIGHTED ON 1FJ1>> is a murine monoclonal antibody that binds strongly <<SHOW INTERACTION HIGHLIGHTED (ZOOMED IN) ON 1FJ1>> to OspA <<SHOW OSPA HIGHLIGHTED ON 1FJ1>>, and how effective a vaccine is correlated with LA-2 binding. 5