Transcriptional responses of normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) induced by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto

The aim of the study was to compare the global transcriptional responses elicited in NHDF cells by three different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi ss (the agent of Lyme borreliosis), representative of different stages in the life cycle of Borrelia: one reference strain isolated from a tick (strain N40), and two invasive strains isolated from skin biopsy of erythema migrans (strain Pbre c4) and acrodermatitis chronica atrophians skin lesions (strain 1408 c1). Three different experimental conditions have been tested: (1) unstimulated NHDF vs NHDF stimulated by Borrelia strain N40 / (2) unstimulated NHDF vs NHDF stimulated by Borrelia strain Pbre c4 / (3) unstimulated NHDF vs NHDF stimulated by Borrelia strain 1408 c1. There is 2 biological replicates for each condition. All NHDF stimulation have been performed in independent experiments.