# Microfluidic Assays for Probing Neutrophil-Borrelia Interactions in Blood during Acute Lyme Disease

> **NIH NIH R21** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2021 · $252,000

## Abstract

Lyme disease (LD) is caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) and represents a growing problem in
the United States due to increasing prevalence and expanding geographic range. It is estimated that 300,000
cases of LD occurred in the United States in 2017. The disease course is highly variable and can include
organ-specific and disseminated involvement with acute and chronic manifestations. A knowledge gap exists
regarding the immune events during the dissemination of Bb in blood during acute LD. Our objective is to
bridge this knowledge gap through the development of novel tools that measure neutrophil-Bb interactions in
blood. In preliminary work, we demonstrate the feasibility of microfluidic assays for the study of host-pathogen
interactions in blood. Specifically, we found (A) a neutrophil spontaneous motility phenotype after spiking as
few as one hundred Bb in blood, (B) a similar phenotype in blood samples from acute LD patients, and (C) a
key role for complement in the activation on neutrophils in blood during early interactions with Bb. Continuing
these efforts, we will optimize the neutrophil-assay-design to (1) study the interactions between neutrophils and
live, motile Bb at single-cell resolution (2) identify signature neutrophil responses to Bb, and (3) probe the relay
function of neutrophils during complement activation in blood by small numbers of Bb. We will begin applying
the new tools to measuring neutrophil functions in patients during acute LD before specific antibodies are
produced, and during treatment, to evaluate the Bb clearance from blood. Overall, our study will design new
tools for the diagnostic and monitoring of LD and will expand our knowledge of host responses to LD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10110423
- **Project number:** 1R21AI156723-01
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel Irimia
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $252,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10110423

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10110423, Microfluidic Assays for Probing Neutrophil-Borrelia Interactions in Blood during Acute Lyme Disease (1R21AI156723-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10110423. Licensed CC0.

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