Introduction: Lyme disease is a multi-organ animal-borne disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb).
Objectives: As the pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis is not fully understood, the study has been designed to examine levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in serum and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with Lyme borreliosis and their associations with clinical signs and symptoms and anti-Borrelia burgdorferi (anti-Bb) antibody titers.
Patients and methods: Sixty-four patients were enrolled in the study, including 39 patients treated for Lyme borreliosis and 25 without the disease (control group). In both groups sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 levels were determined in serum and the CSF.
Results: Mean serum sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 levels were higher in patients with Lyme borreliosis than in the control group. Serum sICAM-1 levels were significantly lower among patients with results positive for immunoglobulin M seroreactivity with Bb than among those with negative antibody responses. In patients with Bb-specific serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, significantly higher serum sICAM-1 levels were found. Higher sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 levels in the CSF were observed in patients positive for anti-Bb IgG antibody titers in the CSF.
Conclusions: In patients with Lyme borreliosis, endothelial cell activation results in elevated levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 in serum and the CSF.