title: Concentration of TGF-beta1 in the supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells cultures from patients with early disseminated and chronic lyme borreliosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aberrant inflammatory response is probably involved in the pathogenesis of chronic Lyme borreliosis, including chronic Lyme arthritis and neuroborreliosis. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1) is an important anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokine and its deficient synthesis is linked to exaggerated inflammation and immune response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 25 patients with Lyme borreliosis and 6 controls were incubated for 7 days with suspension of Borrelia afzeli, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto spirochetes. TGF-beta1 concentration in culture supernatants was measured with ELISA. Results were analyzed according to disease duration (group I--chronic borreliosis, n=20; group II--early borreliosis, n=5) and clinical form (LA--arthritis, NB--neuroborreliosis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  TGF-beta1 concentration was increased in supernatants of PBMC cultures of patients with early neuroborreliosis, in comparison with chronic borreliosis and controls. In chronic, but not in early borreliosis, there was a tendency for decrease of TGF-beta1 synthesis under stimulation with B. burgdorferi spirochetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impaired synthesis of TGF-beta1 by mononuclear cells seems to be present in patients with chronic forms of Lyme borreliosis when compared to those with early stage of the disease. It may be a factor contributing to the persistence of inadequate inflammatory response in patients in whom chronic form of the disease develops.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections, Medical University of Białystok, ul. Zurawia 14, 15-540 Białystok, Poland. neuroin@amb.edu.pl
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grygorczuk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chmielewski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zajkowska
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swierzbińska
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pancewicz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondrusik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tylewska-Wierzbanowska
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hermanowska-Szpakowicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001898:Borrelia / Q000378:metabolism; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1