Spatial Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Microenvironment-Dependent Immune Signatures in a Lyme Arthritis model

Abstract

Lyme arthritis, a manifestation of Lyme disease, is triggered by the spirochetal bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), which is transmitted through the bite of the Ixodes tick. Although multiple studies have been conducted on the complex host immune response in Lyme arthritis, the spatial gene expression environment in the joint tissue remains unexplored. Here, we applied spatial transcriptomics to ankle joints of C3H mice infected with Bb, profiling tissues at peak inflammation (two weeks post infection) and after antibiotics (four weeks post-infection) during inflammation resolution. Analysis revealed spatially restricted signatures: pro-inflammatory responses dominated synovial and fibroblast populations two weeks post-infection, with elevated levels of Vimentin and I-Ek gene - and Vimentin protein - expression localized to these regions. By four weeks post-infection during the inflammation resolution phase, levels of Vimentin and I-Ek related gene and protein expression were reduced. Further, we noted an increase in the CD54+ and CD106+ double-positive population in infected mice joints compared to the vehicle treated controls. Notably, fibroblasts and synoviocytes in the medial joint regions adopted immune-like phenotypes during peak inflammation, while the same cell types in the exterior humeroradial joint displayed a more infection-resilient phenotype. These spatially resolved maps demonstrate that joint microenvironments play a crucial role in pathogenesis, offering unique insights into Lyme arthritis pathology.