# LYME DISEASE:  DEVELOPMENT OF SKIN LESIONS AND ARTHRITIS

> **NIH NIH R01** · STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK · 1987 · $99,315

## Abstract

Lyme disease is a spirochetosis transmitted by the bite of Ixodes dammini
ticks.  It is characterized by an annular skin lesion, usually starting at
the site of tick attachment, known as erythema chronicum migrans (ECM) and,
in decreasing order of frequency, by arthritis usually of the large joints,
neurological and cardiac complications.  The pathogenic relationships
between infection with the Lyme diseases spirochete (LDS) and the
development of skin lesions and arthritis are not yet understood.  It is
the purpose of these studies to explore those relationships by
investigating model skin and joint lesions produced in the rabbit by
exposure to the LDS.  In so doing a more general understanding of arthritis
produced by bacterial infection should result.

ECM will be produced by attachment of infected ticks and by intradermal
injection of motile LDS.  In addition, an attempt will be made to induce a
skin lesion with a proteinaceous extract of tick salivary glands in order
to study the role of tick factors in the development of ECM.  LDS will be
physically and chemically fractionated to yield the outer envelope (OE),
peptidoglycan (PG) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) constituents.  These
moieties will be tested for their ability to initiate a skin lesion.  The
OE includes most of the antigenic determinants of whole LDS while LPS has
potent inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects.  The PG derived from
other bacterial species have systemic toxicity when administered in small
doses.

Skin lesions will be biopsied and characterized histologically with respect
to the nature of the inflammatory cell infiltrate.  Other lesions will be
used for the artificial induction of blisters.  Fluid from the blisters
will be analyzed for the presence of inflammatory mediators including
leukotriene B4, histamine and interleukin 1.

LDS and their fractions will also be injected intraarticularly in the
rabbit knee for the induction of arthritis.  At various times after
exposure the knees will be examined for signs of inflammation.  Synovial
fluid will be harvested and characterized with respect to the cellular
content as well as for the presence of inflammatory mediators including
leukotriene B4, interleukin 1, histamine, prostaglandin E2 and
collagenase.  Animals will be sacrificed and the histopathology of the
arthritic lesions in the synovium, cartilage and adjacent bone
characterized.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157449
- **Project number:** 5R01AR036028-03
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK
- **SAM.gov UEI:** M746VC6XMNH9
- **Principal Investigator:** GAIL S HABICHT
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $99,315
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-09-23 → 1989-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157449

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157449, LYME DISEASE:  DEVELOPMENT OF SKIN LESIONS AND ARTHRITIS (5R01AR036028-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157449. Licensed CC0.

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