The objective of this proposal is to develop CspZ-YA vaccine as new target prevention against Lyme disease. Aim 1. Develop a high-yielding reproducible process to generate a high-quality CspZ-YA vaccine; Aim 2. Characterize the bactericidal antibodies and cytokine responses triggered by CspZ-YA under different administrated frequency, doses, and adjuvant formulations; Aim 3. Define the administrated frequency, dose, and adjuvant that most efficiently prevent Lyme borreliae colonization and manifestations after challenge. Duhamel Lab will obtain the tissue slides prepared by Dr. Yi-Pin Lin’s laboratory and histologically evaluate the Lyme disease-associated
arthritis and carditis in mice that will be used to determine CspZ-YA vaccine’s efficacy.