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CD4+ lymphocytes and gamma interferon predominate in local immune responses in early experimental syphilis.
Title | CD4+ lymphocytes and gamma interferon predominate in local immune responses in early experimental syphilis. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2007 |
Authors | Leader, BT, Godornes, C, VanVoorhis, WC, Lukehart, SA |
Journal | Infect Immun |
Volume | 75 |
Issue | 6 |
Pagination | 3021-6 |
Date Published | 2007 Jun |
ISSN | 0019-9567 |
Keywords | Animals, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Interferon-gamma, Rabbits, RNA, Messenger, Syphilis, Treponema pallidum |
Abstract | The clearance of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum from early syphilis lesions involves infiltration of a large number of mononuclear cells and is characteristic of a cell-mediated immune response. In the present study, we sought to determine the relative abundance of different T-lymphocyte populations and Th1/Th2-associated cytokines present in testicular lesions following experimental infection with the Chicago strain of T. pallidum. Using flow cytometry, we examined the proportion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells present throughout the progression and resolution of primary syphilis in the rabbit model. We related these findings to the results of real-time reverse transcription-PCR quantification of treponemal and cytokine mRNA levels. Treponemal mRNA levels reached peak values on day 18 postinfection, coincident with an initial peak in the level of T cells, which were primarily CD4(+) T cells. T-cell levels increased again during resolution of orchitis, and there was an increased proportion of CD8(+) T cells. The maximum gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA levels were observed on days 11 and 18, respectively, while only negligible amounts of IL-4 and IL-2 were detected throughout the infection. In addition to showing the temporal relationship between treponemal burden and T-cell responses during lesion progression, our results also demonstrate that the composition of the T-cell population changes during lesion resolution. The presence of the mRNA for IFN-gamma, but not IL-4, is consistent with cytokine expression in human syphilis and provides further support for the hypothesis that there is a Th1 predominance during the early immune response to T. pallidum. |
DOI | 10.1128/IAI.01973-06 |
Alternate Journal | Infect. Immun. |
PubMed ID | 17403876 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC1932874 |
Grant List | AI 34616 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States AI 42143 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States AI 43456 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States AI 63940 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States |