Disease relevance of Borrelia

• The role of the host plasminogen activation system in transmission of and invasion by Borrelia burgdorferi, the tick-borne spirochetal agent of Lyme disease, was investigated using plasminogen (Plg)-knockout mice [1].
• We conducted a prospective trial in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 17 patients treated with penicillin for proven louse-borne relapsing fever due to Borrelia recurrentis to evaluate the association of symptoms with plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukins 6, and 8 (IL-6 and -8) [2].
• The temporal synthesis of the P21 protein of Borrelia burgdorferi and the development of the humoral response to this antigen was assessed in infected mice. p21 is a member of the ospE-F gene family and its protein, P21, has been shown to be expressed by B. burgdorferi within infected mice but not by spirochetes cultured in vitro [3].
• Reversal by ceftriaxone of dilated cardiomyopathy Borrelia burgdorferi infection [4].
• Tetracycline for borrelia encephalitis [5].

High impact information on Borrelia

• Isolation of Borrelia burgdorferi from the myocardium of a patient with longstanding cardiomyopathy [6].
• Hyporesponsiveness to vaccination with Borrelia burgdorferi OspA in humans and in TLR1- and TLR2-deficient mice [7].
• p35 and p37 are Borrelia burgdorferi genes encoding 35 and 37 kDa proteins [8].
• During persistent infection of scid mice with Borrelia turicatae, an agent of relapsing fever and neuroborreliosis, there was variation in the surface proteins the bacteria expressed and in disease manifestations over time [9].
• These findings indicate a role for the PAS in heart and brain invasion by relapsing fever Borrelia, resulting in organ injury [10].

Chemical compound and disease context of Borrelia

• In vivo inhibition by S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine was investigated by replacing the endogenous LysRS2 of Bacillus subtilis with LysRS1 from the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi [11].
• CD28 expression by mouse mast cells is modulated by lipopolysaccharide and outer surface protein A lipoprotein from Borrelia burgdorferi [12].
• Variable Ags such as the variable major protein of Borrelia hermsii, the variant surface glycoprotein of African trypanosomes, and the pilin of Neisseria gonorrhoeae include an immunodominant variable domain and one or more invariable domains that are not antigenic [13].
• Adherence of Borrelia burgdorferi. Identification of critical lysine residues in DbpA required for decorin binding [14].
• Substance P augments Borrelia burgdorferi-induced prostaglandin E2 production by murine microglia [15].

Biological context of Borrelia

• Live Borrelia burgdorferi preferentially activate interleukin-1 beta gene expression and protein synthesis over the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist [16].
• Ninety-three cases of primary cutaneous LBCL were analyzed for clinicopathologic features, expression of several markers including Bcl-2, Bcl-6, MUM-1, and FOX-P1, in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus, and molecular analyses of IGH gene rearrangement and of Borrelia burgdorferi and human herpesvirus 8 DNA [17].
• Genomes of some pathogens (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Borrelia burgdorferi) contain genes similar to the sinorhizobial gene (pcs) for phosphatidylcholine synthase [18].
• mAb CB2, directed against outer surface protein B (OspB), causes bacteriolysis of Borrelia burgdorferi in the absence of complement [19].
• Transformation of B. burgdorferi lacking lp25 with a shuttle vector containing the lp25 gene BBE22 (pBBE22) restored infectivity in mice to a level comparable to that of wild-type Borrelia [20].

Anatomical context of Borrelia

• We developed a methodology for nested polymerase chain reaction and hybridization analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid using primers from a genomic Borrelia burgdorferi sequence and applied it to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients suspected of having Lyme neuroborreliosis and other diseases [21].
• Identification of a T cell subset capable of both IFN-gamma and IL-10 secretion in patients with chronic Borrelia burgdorferi infection [22].
• OBJECTIVE: To analyze the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in synovial samples from the knee joint of patients with Lyme arthritis by polymerase chain reaction, and to differentiate the species by reverse line blot (RLB) [23].
• GAG binding by B. burgdorferi is associated with haemagglutination and we have identified a 26 kDa protein, which we have termed Bgp (Borrelia GAG-binding protein), on the basis of its ability to bind to heparin and erythrocytes [24].
• Macrophages and splenocytes from OPN-deficient mice on mixed C57BL/6J-129S or inbred 129S backgrounds were stimulated with the Pam(3)Cys modified lipoprotein from Borrelia burgdorferi, OspA [25].

Gene context of Borrelia

• Interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor blockade reduces endotoxin and Borrelia burgdorferi-stimulated IL-8 synthesis in human mononuclear cells [26].
• We used these RNA assays and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for protein and demonstrated that human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), stimulated by Borrelia burgdorferi sonicate, produced CXCL13 and IgG [27].
• Cutting edge: inflammatory signaling by Borrelia burgdorferi lipoproteins is mediated by toll-like receptor 2 [28].
• The role of CD14 in signaling mediated by outer membrane lipoproteins of Borrelia burgdorferi [29].
• Spontaneous and Borrelia burgdorferi-stimulated proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their interleukin-4 (IL-4), gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), and NO production were measured in 36 patients with second- or third-stage Lyme borreliosis (LB) and 11 control subjects [30].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Borrelia

• Cells were stimulated with either IL-1 beta, LPS, or Borrelia burgdorferi, and total IL-8 was determined by a specific radioimmunoassay [26].
• DNA microarray assessment of putative Borrelia burgdorferi lipoprotein genes [31].
• The Borrelia burgdorferi flagellum-associated 41-kilodalton antigen (flagellin): molecular cloning, expression, and amplification of the gene [32].
• Outer surface protein C gene sequence analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates from Japan [33].
• Heterogeneity of BmpA (P39) among European isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and influence of interspecies variability on serodiagnosis [34].

References