Antigen Engineering Approaches for Lyme Disease Vaccines

Bioconjug Chem. 2019 May 15;30(5):1259-1272. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00167. Epub 2019 Apr 24.

Abstract

Increasing rates of Lyme disease necessitate preventive measures such as immunization to mitigate the risk of contracting the disease. At present, there is no human Lyme disease vaccine available on the market. Since the withdrawal of the first and only licensed Lyme disease vaccine based on lipidated recombinant OspA, vaccine and antigen research has aimed to overcome its risks and shortcomings. Replacement of the putative cross-reactive T-cell epitope in OspA via mutation or chimerism addresses the potential risk of autoimmunity. Multivalent approaches in Lyme disease vaccines have been pursued to address sequence heterogeneity of Lyme borreliae antigens and to induce a repertoire of functional antibodies necessary for efficient heterologous protection. This Review summarizes recent antigen engineering strategies that have paved the way for the development of next generation vaccines against Lyme disease, some of which have reached clinical testing. Bioconjugation methods that incorporate antigens to self-assembling nanoparticles for immune response potentiation are also discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Dog Diseases / prevention & control
  • Dogs
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates / immunology*
  • Lyme Disease / prevention & control
  • Lyme Disease / veterinary
  • Lyme Disease Vaccines / chemistry
  • Lyme Disease Vaccines / immunology*

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Lyme Disease Vaccines