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The Pathogenic Spirochetes: strategies for evasion of host immunity and persistence pp 63–88Cite as

Borrelial Complement-Binding Proteins

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Abstract

Spirochetes causing Lyme disease or relapsing fever exploit an array of sophisticated means to establish infection and to combat innate and adaptive immune responses of the human host. One central immune escape mechanism of serum-resistant spirochetes involves the inactivation of host complement attack through binding of distinct complement regulatory proteins, including factor H (CFH), factor H-like protein 1 (FHL1), factor H-related protein 1 (CFHR1), CFHR2, CFHR5, C4b-binding protein (C4Bp), and/or C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-Inh) to the cell surface (Fig. 4.1) (Alitalo et al. 2001; Bhide et al. 2009; Grosskinsky et al. 2009; Haupt et al. 2007; Hellwage et al. 2001; Kraiczy et al. 2001a, b; McDowell et al. 2003a; Pietikainen et al. 2010; Rossmann et al. 2007; Schott et al. 2010; Siegel et al. 2010; Stevenson et al. 2002; Meri et al. 2006).

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank all of our colleagues whose research has contributed to an increased understanding of the role of borrelial complement-binding proteins in immune evasion of these emerging pathogens. Many thanks to Brian Stevenson for critical review of the manuscript and fruitful discussions, and Arno Koenigs for help with the graphics. Research in the authors’ labs was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Kr3383/1-2, Wa533/7-1, and Wa533/8-1).

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  1. Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt am Main, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, D-60596, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

    Peter Kraiczy Ph.D.

  2. Institute of Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 305, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Reinhard Wallich Ph.D.

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  1. Peter Kraiczy Ph.D.
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  2. Reinhard Wallich Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Peter Kraiczy Ph.D. .

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  1. Tulane University Health Sciences Center, Covington, 70433, Louisiana, USA

    Monica E. Embers

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Kraiczy, P., Wallich, R. (2012). Borrelial Complement-Binding Proteins. In: Embers, M. (eds) The Pathogenic Spirochetes: strategies for evasion of host immunity and persistence. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5404-5_4

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