The Lyme disease spirochete can hijack the host immune system for extravasation from the microvasculature
Date
2021-04-23
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most common tick-transmitted disease in the northern hemisphere and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and related Borrelia species. The constellation of symptoms attributable to this malady result from vascular dissemination of B. burgdorferi throughout the body to invade various tissue types. However, little is known about the mechanism by which the spirochetes can breach the blood vessel wall to reach distant tissues. We have studied this process by direct observation of spirochetes in the microvasculature of living mice using multilaser spinning-disk intravital microscopy. Our results show that in our experimental system, instead of phagocytizing B. burgdorferi, host neutrophils are involved in the production of specific cytokines that activate the endothelium and potentiate B. burgdorferi escape into the surrounding tissue. Spirochete escape is not induced by paracellular permeability and appears to occur via a transcellular pathway. Neutrophil repurposing to promote bacterial extravasation represents a new and innovative pathogenic strategy.
Description
Keywords
Borrelia, vascular transmigration, neutrophils, cytokines
Citation
Tan, X., Petri, B., DeVinney, R., Jenne, C. N., & Chaconas, G. (2021). The Lyme disease spirochete can hijack the host immune system for extravasation from the microvasculature. Molecular Microbiology.