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Expression of Members of the 28-Kilodalton Major Outer Membrane Protein Family of Ehrlichia chaffeensis during Persistent Infection

Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-0609,¹ Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, and Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York, Albany, New York 12201²

Received 5 January 2004/ Returned for modification 4 February 2004/ Accepted 22 April 2004

The 28-kDa immunodominant outer membrane proteins (P28 OMPs) of Ehrlichia chaffeensis are encoded by a multigene family. As an indirect measure of the in vivo expression of the members of the p28 multigene family of E. chaffeensis, sera from two beagle dogs experimentally infected with E. chaffeensis were evaluated for the presence of specific antibodies to P28 OMPs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antigenic peptides unique to each of the P28s were identified within the first hypervariable region of each P28 OMP. Serological responses to peptides derived from all P28 OMPs were detected from day 30 postinoculation to day 468 and from day 46 until day 159 in the two beagles. Although antibody titers to the peptides fluctuated, the peak response to all of the peptides appeared simultaneously in each dog. The antibody responses to another outer membrane protein of E. chaffeensis (GP120) showed similar temporal and quantitative changes. These data suggest that the P28 OMPs are expressed concurrently during persistent Ehrlichia infection.

Editor: W. A. Petri, Jr.

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