Genome-wide DNA Methylation Profiling in Lyme Neuroborreliosis Reveals Altered Methylation Patterns of HLA Genes

• Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is a complex neuroinflammatory disorder caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted through tick bites. Epigenetic alterations, specifically DNA methylation (DNAm), could play a role in the host immune response during infection. In this study, we present the first genome-wide analysis of DNAm in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with LNB and those without LNB. Using a network-based approach, we highlighted HLA genes at the core of these DNAm changes, which were found to be enriched in immune-related pathways. These findings shed light on the role of epigenetic modifications in the LNB pathogenesis that should be confirmed and further expanded upon in future studies. We present the first genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with and those without the tick-borne infection Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). Our findings show that LNB is associated with immune-related DNA methylation changes.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Mikrobiologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Microbiology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Lyme neuroborreliosis; Borrelia burgdorferi; DNA methylation; Illumina Infinium methylation EPIC 850K; HLA

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)