Orchestration of inflammation and adaptive immunity in Borrelia burgdorferi-induced arthritis by neutrophil-activating protein A.

Objective: Lyme arthritis (LA) is characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells, mainly neutrophils (polymorphonuclear cells [PMNs]) and T cells, into the joints. This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of the neutrophil-activating protein A (NapA) of Borrelia burgdorferi in eliciting inflammation and in driving the adaptive immune response.

Methods: Levels of NapA, interferon-γ (IFNγ), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and T cell-attracting chemokines were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in synovial fluid from patients with LA.