posted
Ekerfelt C, Andersson M, Olausson A, Bergstr�m S, Hultman P. Mercury exposure as a model for deviation of cytokine responses in experimental Lyme arthritis: HgCl(2) treatment decreases T helper cell type 1-like responses and arthritis severity but delays eradication of Borrelia burgdorferi in C3H/HeN mice. Clin Exp Immunol. 2007 Aug 2; [Epub ahead of print]
[Division of Clinical Immunology, and Unit of Autoimmunity and Immune Regulation, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Link�ping, Sweden.]
Lyme borreliosis is a complex infection, where some individuals develop so-called 'chronic borreliosis'. The pathogenetic mechanisms are unknown, but the type of immune response is probably important for healing.
A strong T helper cell type 1 (Th1)-like response has been suggested as crucial for eradication of Borrelia and for avoiding development of chronic disease. Many studies aimed at altering the Th1/Th2 balance in Lyme arthritis employed mice deficient in cytokine genes, but the outcome has not been clear-cut, due possibly to the high redundancy of cytokines.
This study aimed at studying the importance of the Th1/Th2 balance in murine Borrelia arthritis by using the Th2-deviating effect of subtoxic doses of inorganic mercury. Ninety-eight C3H/HeN mice were divided into four groups: Borrelia-infected (Bb), Borrelia-infected exposed to HgCl(2) (BbHg), controls exposed to HgCl(2) alone and normal controls....
BbHg mice showed less severe histological arthritis, but delayed eradication of spirochaetes compared to Bb mice, associated with increased levels of IgE (Th2-induced) and decreased levels of IgG2a (Th1-induced), consistent with a Th2-deviation.
Both the numbers of Th1 and Th2 cytokine-secreting cells were reduced in BbHg mice, possibly explained by the fact that numbers of cytokine-secreting cells do not correlate with cytokine concentration.
In conclusion, this study supports the hypothesis that a Th1-like response is required for optimal eradication of Borrelia.
posted
Interesting info, and it agrees with what I've been posting here about mercury for the past year: mercury tends to push the immune system T-cell polarization toward more Th2, less Th1. That exerts a balacing effect on the immune systems of lymies, which are usually biased the opposite way (more Th1, less Th2).
The immune systems of lymies get locked into an excess Th1 response, which causes many of the inflammation-related symptoms (such as joint pain) that we experience.
This Th1 response would be great if it eradicated Bb, but as evidenced by the number chronic lymies here, it fails to do so. This is partly because Bb hides within the immune system itself, and immune system does not want to attack itself.
Back to the mercury: this also explains why lymies (including myself) who reduce their mercury levels often feel worse. By removing mercury's balacing effect, our Th1 levels grow even higher, and that means more inflammation, and our symtoms get worse.
Mercury removal is not the answer for lymies unless the mercury level is sky high (which is very rare). If you are already feeling the symptoms of lyme, it means you're immune system is responding. Turning that immune system up even higher is not the answer either, instead help is needed such as in the form of abx.
Posts: 727 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't understand this very well. It's saying that mice infected with mercury had slower eradication of the spirochetes - so surely you would want to remove the mercury? I've been on antibiotics for a year and don't feel like I have got very far, so I am starting to wonder if Mercury is the issue.
Posts: 263 | From UK | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
My LLMD said bb supresses the bodies ability to shed Hg, which is also an immunosuppresant.
GiGi, any thoughts on this?
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I read that the Lyme lives in the mercury molecule, or hides in it, so it "sequesters" mercury, or doesn't allow it to detox from our systems like it would detox from a healthy person's system. (I'm thinking that's probably what that study said in fancy terms??)
That's why it's common to see mercury toxicity with Lyme. I knew I was mercury toxic before I found out I had Lyme, and I wondered why all my efforts to detox weren't working but making me feel even worse!
I read that when you try to kill the Lyme, you move the mercury molecule, and when you try to move the mercury, the Lyme reacts since they're living with each other.
My llmd seemed more interested in attacking the Lyme first, though he does have me taking a sublingual formula for mercury removal.
-------------------- "Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead Posts: 290 | From New York | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic