Expression of chemokines, metalloproteinases and cyclooxygenase in human synoviocytes by different Borrelia burgdorferi isolates

To reveal the mechanisms of leukocyte chemoattraction and tissue distruction in Lyme disease, we investigated chemokine, metalloproteinase (MMP) and cyclooxygenase (COX2) expression in human synoviocytes (SC) exposed to different Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) isolates (Geho, B31). Synoviocytes were infected for 12 hrs, 1 day, 2, 3 and 5 days as were controls. Semiquantitative RT-PCR was used to assess the relative chemokine gene expression for RANTES, SDF-1β, MCP-1, MCP-2, MIP-1α, MMP1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and COX-2. Using Bb strain Geho, RANTES and MIP-1α mRNA expression were upregulated in SC from da…