Borrelia burgdorferi adherence and injury to undifferentiated and differentiated neural cells in vitro

The role of outer surface proteins (Osp) A and B and length of time in culture on the adhesion and cytotoxicity of Borrelia burgdorferi to C6 glioma and PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells was investigated using 6 different spirochete strains in an ELISA. Statistically significant differences in adhesion between OspB mutants and parental isolates were not seen, yet clear differences in adhesion were noted between low- and high-passage isolates. Polar adhesion and penetration by the tips of spirochetes resulted in the formation of surface cavities and blebs. Adhesion of spirochetes to C6 and to undifferentiated PC-12 cells did not result in significant cytotoxicity, but adhesion of spirochetes to PC-12 cells differentiated with nerve growth factor resulted in a loss of confluence of the monolayer and cytotoxicity at high spirochete-to-cell ratios. These results demonstrate that B. burgdorferi can induce damage to neural cells directly.