title: Analysis of nanomechanical properties of Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes under the influence of lytic factors in an in vitro model using atomic force microscopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an experimental technique which recently has been used in biology, microbiology, and medicine to investigate the topography of surfaces and in the evaluation of mechanical properties of cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the complement system and specific anti-Borrelia antibodies in in vitro conditions on the modification of nanomechanical features of B. burgdorferi B31 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to assess the influence of the complement system and anti-Borrelia antibodies on B. burgdorferi s.s. B31 spirochetes, the bacteria were incubated together with plasma of identified status. The samples were applied on the surface of mica disks. Young's modulus and adhesive forces were analyzed with a NanoScope V, MultiMode 8 AFM microscope (Bruker) by the PeakForce QNM technique in air using NanoScope Analysis 1.40 software (Bruker).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The average value of flexibility of spirochetes' surface expressed by Young's modulus was 10185.32 MPa, whereas the adhesion force was 3.68 nN. AFM is a modern tool with a broad spectrum of observational and measurement abilities. Young's modulus and the adhesion force can be treated as parameters in the evaluation of intensity and changes which take place in pathogenic microorganisms under the influence of various lytic factors. The visualization of the changes in association with nanomechanical features provides a realistic portrayal of the lytic abilities of the elements of the innate and adaptive human immune system.
authors.affiliation: Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biala Podlaska,Institute of Health Sciences, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokarska-Rodak
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kozioł-Montewka
authors.affiliation: Analytical Laboratory, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skrzypiec
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Laboratory of Rickettsiae, Chlamydiae and Spirochaetes, Warszawa, Poland;
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chmielewski
authors.affiliation: Analytical Laboratory, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewaryst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mendyk
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Laboratory of Rickettsiae, Chlamydiae and Spirochaetes, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanisława
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tylewska-Wierzbanowska
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D001433:Bacteriolysis / Q000276:immunology; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D003167:Complement Activation; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; C011934:mica