A Microscopic Investigation Of The Interaction Between Borrelia Burgdorferi And Human Astrocytes

Abstract

<jats:p><jats:italic>Borrelia burgdorferi</jats:italic> is the causative agent of Lyme disease. In addition to the characteristic effects of acute infection, Lyme disease can cause chronic effects including cardiac and neurological complications [1]. Several laboratories have shown the ability of <jats:italic>B. burgdorferi</jats:italic> to attach and invade several cell types such as lymphocytes [2] and fibroblasts [3]. Cultured normal human astrocytes were used to investigate the possible interaction between a cell type of the central nervous system and the Lyme disease spirochete.</jats:p><jats:p>Initially scanning electron microscopy was used to monitor and characterize the surface interaction between astrocytes and spirochetes. Astrocyte cell cultures were co-incubated with low passage B31 cultures over a time course from 1 hr to 18 hr. The co-cultures were washed extensively to discourage non-specific binding, glutaraldehyde fixed, critical point dried and mounted for field emission scanning electron microscopy. A time dependent association between the cultured astrocytes and <jats:italic>B. burgdorferi</jats:italic> were found to range from approximately 20% after 1 hr to almost 100% after 18 hr.</jats:p>