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Infection and Immunity, September 1999, p. 4757-4763, Vol. 67, No. 9
Department of Pathobiology and Department of
Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
Received 25 February 1999/Returned for modification 5 April
1999/Accepted 7 June 1999
In this study we describe the development of the T-cell response to
a panel of Treponema pallidum antigens over the course of
syphilis infection in the rabbit and determine whether these antigens
induce the expression of Th1 cytokines. It was determined that the
membrane proteins TpN17 and TpN47, as well as the endoflagellar sheath
protein TpN37, induce strong proliferation responses through most of
syphilis infection; Tromp1 induced only weak proliferative responses.
An unexpected drop in proliferative response to these antigens at day
90 of infection, followed by a dramatic increase in response at day
180, suggests that there may be a secondary dissemination of T. pallidum which induces a recall response. Crude epitope mapping
of TpN17 and TpN37 showed that multiple epitopes may be present on both
antigens, which is likely a contributing factor in the immunodominance
of these antigens. The T-cell response to the TpN37 molecule shows
acquisition of newly recognized epitopes during the course of
infection. Sonicated T. pallidum was found to induce the
expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and gamma interferon and not IL-10
mRNA, showing that the general T-cell response to T. pallidum antigens in syphilis infection is biased towards the Th1
phenotype. Of the antigens tested, TpN37 appears to contribute the most
to the Th1 cytokine response and therefore may play a key role in the
clearance of T. pallidum from lesions.
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
T-Cell Responses to Treponema pallidum
subsp. pallidum Antigens during the Course of Experimental
Syphilis Infection
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: University of
Washington, P.O. Box 357185, Seattle, WA 98195. Phone: (206) 543-0821. Fax: (206) 685-8681. E-mail: wesley{at}u.washington.edu.
Infection and Immunity, September 1999, p. 4757-4763, Vol. 67, No. 9
0019-9567/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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