Borrelia burgdorferi Biofilm in Infected Human Brain Tissues

Jasmin Maghsoudlou, UNH graduate student received a travel award from the International Lyme and Associated Society to present her Thesis findings in Helsinki, Finland. Ms Maghsoudlou did groundbreaking research of a very specific bacterial infection she found in patients who diagnosed with Lyme and Alzheimer's disease. In the below picture, she is with one of her co-authors, Minnie Elias, Dr. Elias’  widow who initiated the study several years ago. Other co-authors of the study are graduate students the Cellular and Molecular Biology master program and members of UNH Lyme disease research group led by Dr. Eva Sapi. This study confirms an original conclusion drawn over 20 years ago by one of the co-authors,  Dr. Alan MacDonald, who showed that autopsy brain samples of patients with Alzheimer's could contain certain bacterial infections. Jasmin furthered this observation by providing evidence that Alzheimer's plaques indeed have pathogenic presence in a very antibiotics resistant form called bacterial biofilms. Her findings also agree with a recent 2016 study from Harvard University which also showed possible infection in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. These novel findings could help us to explain the origins of plaque, which is one of the most known hallmark features of people with Alzheimer’s.

POSTER: Jasmin Maghsoudlou, M.S. Candidate, Minnie Elias, M.A., Katherine Filush, M.S., Kayla Soccaras, M.S., Shafiq Shaikh, M.S., Kunthavai Balasubramian, M.S., Alan MacDonald, M.D., Eva Sapi, Ph.D. Borrelia burgdorferi Biofilm in Infected Human Brain. International Lyme and Associated Society Meeting, Helsinki, Finland 2016, June 10.
 
New York Times article for further information: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/health/alzheimers-disease-infection.html?_r=0

My lab is involved in multiple projects to examine cell survival and the level of DNA damage in neuron and fibroblast cells exposed to various environmental conditions. One area we particularly focus on recently is the link between inflammation, oxidative stress and level of DNA damage. Chronic infections that cause chronic inflammation along with enhanced oxidative stress has long been suspected to be a key player in several human diseases such as neurodegenerative conditions. We study the molecular mechanism of DNA damage resulting from increased level of inflammation and/or reactive oxygen species (ROS) and will be examining whether chronic inflammation and increased level of ROS is one of the primary causes, or simply a downstream consequence of some diseases such as the neurodegenerative process. Since last year I have had the opportunity and the pleasure of starting collaboration with a senior member of our department, Dr. Eva Sapi, who has a very active and successful Lyme research group. We are very excited examining both the nature and the consequences of DNA damage, occurring in cells and tissues of people exposed to pathogenic bacteria such as Lyme disease causing bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. Preliminary findings from our study indicate Borrelia bacterial infection induces DNA damage in neuron-like cells. This study is likely to uncover a link between Borrelia bacterial infection and induced level of ROS and free radical attack on neural cells; and how this can lead to neurodegeneration in many neural disorders.