Or...Search this site Home Symptoms Live Discussion Diagnosis Treatment Area Support Library Research Lymelinks Contact Pets & Lyme DONATIONS Drug Info Medical Dictionary Board of Directors      Click on the graphic to vote for this site as a Starting Point Hot Site. -- No Warranties or Representations Lyme Disease symptoms vary from person to person. (lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease) The data and information presented in this web site are presented in good faith and believed to be accurate regarding Lyme disease (commonly misspelled lymes disease lyme's disease lime disease limes disease) and other related diseases. Any and all liability for the content or any omissions including any inaccuracies, errors, or misstatements in such data or information is expressly disclaimed. The web site is compiled for the sole purpose of informing community members of resources and information pertaining to Lyme Borreliosis Disease and its coinfections. Lyme disease symptoms may vary from person to person. The Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, Directors and members are not liable for any direct or indirect damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of information available from this website. Consult a qualified Lyme ( Borreliosis ) Disease literate doctor for medical advice if Lyme Disease is suspect to discuss your Lyme Disease Symptoms. en français For Physicians Ticks Coinfections Prevention Our Stories Click Here to order our free Lyme Disease Flyer,    Here for our free Lyme Disease Poster ..documents may be copied (to distribute) but edit only for alignment. This article was brought to you via eLibrary from ProQuest Information and Learning. http://elibrary.bigchalk.com Virginia Commonwealth University; Experts identify molecular players in tick-borne illness Biotech Week 2005 JAN 12 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Virginia Commonwealth University scientists have made a key advance in understanding the proteins and mechanisms involved in the spread of Lyme disease, a finding that could lead to a vaccine against the tick-borne illness that affects thousands of people each year. In the Journal of Immunology, the researchers characterized the molecular interaction that occurs between an important virulence factor in Lyme disease spirochetes, known as OspE, and a host protein, factor H (fH), which is an important regulator of the immune system. It is the binding of fH by the Lyme disease pathogens that allows the bacteria to avoid being destroyed by the host, according to the article. Defining the nature of the interaction between fH binding proteins and fH may facilitate the development of a new generation of vaccines against the bacteria. "Understanding the complex interaction between the different residues and structural elements of these key proteins involved in the pathogenesis of Lyme disease is a significant step forward in our research," said Richard T. Marconi, PhD, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at VCU. Lyme disease spirochetes use fH-binding as a virulence mechanism - an ability that has also been observed in several other dangerous pathogens, including those responsible for HIV; various species of Neisseria, which cause diseases like meningitis and gonorrhea; and some types of parasites. "In addition, what we have learned in our study of fH binding by the Lyme disease bacteria can be applied to vaccine development for other organisms that bind fH as well," he said. Leading one of the largest Lyme disease research efforts in the country, Marconi's lab demonstrated that fH-binding by OspE was dependent on the formation of specific structural elements. Disruption of these structural elements resulted in the loss of the fH-binding capability. "For example, the use of modified forms of OspE that can not bind fH as a vaccinogen may elicit an immune response that will prevent the pathogen from binding fH and thus the bacteria will no longer be able to persist in an infected individual," he said. "The modification of fH binding proteins may allow for the development of a novel class of proteins that can be used in the development of a Lyme disease vaccine." Studies are currently under way to determine if these modified proteins will offer improved protection against Lyme disease. Lyme disease is extremely difficult to diagnose and no reliable test or vaccine is currently available. It is transmitted by the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. Ticks are able to survive under a variety of conditions as long as adequate moisture is available. In the United States, the peak season for ticks is April to September in the northeast, and from November to April in the west (McDowell JV, Wolfgang J, Senty L, et al., Demonstration of the involvement of outer surface protein e coiled coil structural domains and higher order structural elements in the binding of infection-induced antibody and the complement-regulatory protein, factor H1. J Immunol, 173(12):7471-80). This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2005, Biotech Week via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.