Meghan Marré, B.S., Biology, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
Ph.D. Student in Immunology
E-mail: meghan.lavalley@tufts.edu

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Arthritis, a manifestation of the disease can be studied in mice. Arthritis peaks at 3-6 weeks after infection and then spontaneously resolves despite the continued presence of the organism. The development of antibodies against the B. burgdorferi encoded arthritis-related protein (Arp) may play a role in resolution because antibodies against Arp resolve Lyme arthritis without affecting spirochete burden, and the natural development of anti-Arp antibodies coincides closely with disease resolution. I am studying the mechanism by which anti-Arp antibodies functon. Preliminary data suggest that Arp binds adrenomedulin, a host anti-inflammatory protein and that anti-Arp antibodies release adrenomedullin from Arp, resulting in decreased inflammation. A better understanding of how B. burgdorferi is able utilize host proteins for its own survival may lead to better strategies for the treatment of Lyme disease.