Arcy l’Etoile, France) according to manufacturer’s instructions. PCR analyses

Arcy l’Etoile, France) according to manufacturer’s instructions. PCR analyses were performed using two different methods. All runs included a positive and negative control. A nested PCR was performed using two sets of primers targeting the chromosomal flagellin gene (flaB) according to the method described previously [24]. The outer primers were designed to amplify a 437 base pair fragment, and the inner primers a 277 base pair fragment of the gene. The PCR products were analysed on agarose gels. Real-time PCR was performed using LightCycler 480 Probes master kit and LightCycler 480 II equipment (Roche). A 102 base pair product of ospA gene was amplified according to the method described by Ivacic and co-workers [25]. The minimal sensitivity of PCR was 40 bacterial cells. The ospA PCR was run quantitatively of the joint samples with 100 ng of extracted DNA as template and calculating the actual bacterial load with a standard curve. Data are expressed as the number of B. burgdorferi genomes per 100 ng of extracted DNA. The quantitative PCR was repeated three times.SerologyWhole B. burgdorferi antigen, C6 peptide, and DbpA and DbpB specific IgG antibodies were measured using in house enzyme immunoassays. B. burgdorferi B31 (ATCC 35210) whole cell lysate, biotinylated C6 peptide (Biotin-MKKDDQIAAAIALRGMAKDGKFAVK) or recombinant DbpA or DbpB of B. burgdorferi [26] were used as antigens. Microtiter plates (Thermo Fisher Scientific, (-)-Blebbistatin site Vantaa, Finland) were coated with B. burgdorferi lysate (20 g/ml), or DbpA or DbpB (10 g/ml) in PBS, and washed three times with washing solution (H2O, 0.05 Tween 20, Merck, Hohenbrunn, Germany). Serum sample was diluted 1:100 to 1 bovine serum albumin (BSA, Serological Proteins Inc., Kankakee, IL, USA) in PBS. The wells were ABT-737 supplement incubated with the diluted serum, washed as above, and incubated with PBS diluted goat anti-mouse HRP-conjugated IgG antibody (1:8000, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA, SC-2031, Lot #I2513). After washings, ortho-phenylene-diamine (OPD, KemEn-Tec Diagnostics A/S, Taastrup, Denmark) was added for 15?0 min before the reaction was stopped with 0.5 M H2SO4 and absorbances (OD492) were measured with Multiskan EX spectrophotometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific). All incubations were at 37 for 1 hour, except for the substrate. Results are expressed as OD492 values and all samples were analysed in duplicate. The measurement of C6 peptide specific antibodies was performed as above with the following exceptions: C6 peptide in PBS (5 g/ml) was coated on streptavidin precoated plates (Thermo Fisher Scientific), the plates were saturated with 1 normal sheep serum-PBS (NSS-PBS), and mouse sera and secondary antibody were diluted in NSS-PBS.HistologyOne tibiotarsal joint of each mouse (experiment II, groups 6?2) was formalin-fixed, demineralized, embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 5 m, and stained with hematoxyline-eosin (HE) using routine histology techniques. Findings of joint disease were evaluated in sagittal joint sections by an experienced pathologist (MS) blinded to the experimental protocol.PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0121512 March 27,5 /DbpA and B Promote Arthritis and Post-Treatment Persistence in MiceStatistical analysisStatistical analyses of joint diameter, serum antibody levels and bacterial load in joint samples, were performed with analysis of variance (ANOVA, IBM SPSS Statistics 22) when there were more than two groups. Statistical analysis of the bacterial load in Expe.Arcy l’Etoile, France) according to manufacturer’s instructions. PCR analyses were performed using two different methods. All runs included a positive and negative control. A nested PCR was performed using two sets of primers targeting the chromosomal flagellin gene (flaB) according to the method described previously [24]. The outer primers were designed to amplify a 437 base pair fragment, and the inner primers a 277 base pair fragment of the gene. The PCR products were analysed on agarose gels. Real-time PCR was performed using LightCycler 480 Probes master kit and LightCycler 480 II equipment (Roche). A 102 base pair product of ospA gene was amplified according to the method described by Ivacic and co-workers [25]. The minimal sensitivity of PCR was 40 bacterial cells. The ospA PCR was run quantitatively of the joint samples with 100 ng of extracted DNA as template and calculating the actual bacterial load with a standard curve. Data are expressed as the number of B. burgdorferi genomes per 100 ng of extracted DNA. The quantitative PCR was repeated three times.SerologyWhole B. burgdorferi antigen, C6 peptide, and DbpA and DbpB specific IgG antibodies were measured using in house enzyme immunoassays. B. burgdorferi B31 (ATCC 35210) whole cell lysate, biotinylated C6 peptide (Biotin-MKKDDQIAAAIALRGMAKDGKFAVK) or recombinant DbpA or DbpB of B. burgdorferi [26] were used as antigens. Microtiter plates (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Vantaa, Finland) were coated with B. burgdorferi lysate (20 g/ml), or DbpA or DbpB (10 g/ml) in PBS, and washed three times with washing solution (H2O, 0.05 Tween 20, Merck, Hohenbrunn, Germany). Serum sample was diluted 1:100 to 1 bovine serum albumin (BSA, Serological Proteins Inc., Kankakee, IL, USA) in PBS. The wells were incubated with the diluted serum, washed as above, and incubated with PBS diluted goat anti-mouse HRP-conjugated IgG antibody (1:8000, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA, USA, SC-2031, Lot #I2513). After washings, ortho-phenylene-diamine (OPD, KemEn-Tec Diagnostics A/S, Taastrup, Denmark) was added for 15?0 min before the reaction was stopped with 0.5 M H2SO4 and absorbances (OD492) were measured with Multiskan EX spectrophotometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific). All incubations were at 37 for 1 hour, except for the substrate. Results are expressed as OD492 values and all samples were analysed in duplicate. The measurement of C6 peptide specific antibodies was performed as above with the following exceptions: C6 peptide in PBS (5 g/ml) was coated on streptavidin precoated plates (Thermo Fisher Scientific), the plates were saturated with 1 normal sheep serum-PBS (NSS-PBS), and mouse sera and secondary antibody were diluted in NSS-PBS.HistologyOne tibiotarsal joint of each mouse (experiment II, groups 6?2) was formalin-fixed, demineralized, embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 5 m, and stained with hematoxyline-eosin (HE) using routine histology techniques. Findings of joint disease were evaluated in sagittal joint sections by an experienced pathologist (MS) blinded to the experimental protocol.PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0121512 March 27,5 /DbpA and B Promote Arthritis and Post-Treatment Persistence in MiceStatistical analysisStatistical analyses of joint diameter, serum antibody levels and bacterial load in joint samples, were performed with analysis of variance (ANOVA, IBM SPSS Statistics 22) when there were more than two groups. Statistical analysis of the bacterial load in Expe.