Apoptosis in Lyme borreliosis--a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
Apoptosis plays an important role in the control of the immune system, and its impairment may be associated with autoimmune responses. Different bacterial and viral pathogens interfere with the regulation of apoptosis. This may take place in Lyme borreliosis, in which pathological autoimmune reactions are likely to occur.


METHODS
A study group consisted of 15 patients with erythema migrans (group I), 15 with Lyme arthritis (group II) and 9 with neuroborreliosis (group III); the control group consisted of 10 healthy subjects. The concentrations of the factors involved in apoptosis regulation--transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta 1), soluble Fas (sFas), soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) and protein bcl-2--were measured in serum before (examination 1) and after (examination 2) four weeks of antibiotic treatment.


RESULTS
The mean concentration of sFas was significantly higher in all study groups compared to controls in examination 1 and 2, and showed a tendency to increase during treatment. The concentration of sFasL was significantly increased in groups II and III in examination 1. The concentration of bcl-2 was elevated significantly in all groups in examination 1 and dropped during treatment, remaining significantly increased in group I. The concentration of TGF-beta 1 was not significantly elevated except for group II in examination 2.


CONCLUSIONS
The concentrations of soluble factors involved in the regulation of apoptosis were increased in serum of patients with different forms of Lyme borreliosis. Further studies are necessary to confirm if inappropriate apoptosis of immune cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of Lyme disease.
Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University of Białystok, Dłuski District Specialized Hospital, ul. Zurawia 14, 15-540 Białystok, Poland. samgryg@friko6.onet.pl
Sambor S
SS
Grygorczuk
Sławomir A
SA
Pancewicz
Maciej
M
Kondrusik
Renata
R
Swierzbińska
Joanna M
JM
Zajkowska
Teresa
T
Hermanowska-Szpakowicz
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D004890:Erythema / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D020852:Lyme Neuroborreliosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000097:blood; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D019014:fas Receptor