Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a species complex of pleomorphic spirochetes, including species that cause Lyme disease (LD) in humans. In addition to classic spiral forms, these bacteria are capable of creating morphological forms referred to as round bodies and aggregates. The subject of discussion is their possible contribution to the persistence of infection or post-infection symptoms in LD. This study investigates the immunological properties of these forms by monitoring reactivity with early (n = 30) and late stage (n = 30) LD patient sera and evaluating the immune response induced by vaccination of mice. In patient sera, we found a quantitative difference in reactivity with individual morphotypes, when aggregates were recognized most intensively, but the difference was statistically significant in only half of the tested strains. In post-vaccination mouse sera, we observed a statistically significant higher reactivity with antigens p83 and p25 (OspC) in mice vaccinated with aggregates compared to mice vaccinated with spiral forms. The importance of the particulate nature of the antigen for the induction of a Th1-directed response has also been demonstrated. In any of morphological forms, the possibility of inducing antibodies cross-reacting with human nuclear and myositis specific/associated autoantigens was not confirmed by vaccination of mice.

3rd Department of Internal Medicine Nephrology Rheumatology and Endocrinology Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc Hnevotinska 3 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

3rd Department of Internal Medicine Nephrology Rheumatology and Endocrinology University Hospital Olomouc Zdravotniku 248 7 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Allergology and Clinical Immunology University Hospital Olomouc Zdravotniku 248 7 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Immunology Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc Hnevotinska 3 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Immunology University Hospital Olomouc Zdravotniku 248 7 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Neurology Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Palacky University Olomouc Hnevotinska 3 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Neurology University Hospital Olomouc Zdravotniku 248 7 779 00 Olomouc Czech Republic

Laboratory of Medical Parasitology and Zoology Public Health Institute Ostrava Partyzanske Namesti 2633 7 Moravska Ostrava 702 00 Ostrava Czech Republic

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