title: Effect of irradiation and depletion of C3-complement component on the course of Treponema pallidum infection in a resistant guinea pig strain.
abstract: The role of complement and ionizing radiation in the natural resistance to Treponema pallidum infection of Albany guinea pigs was explored. Depletion of C3 by cobra venom factor for a period of 14 days affected neither the host's susceptibility to infection nor the humoral response. Total body irradiation with 420 or 800 R was fatal within 20-30 days and there was no multiplication of treponemes in the infected host. Animals showing lethal signs were euthanized and tissues removed for examination. Exposure to a nonlethal dose of 300 R increased the susceptibility to infection (46% symptomatic lesions) and facilitated multiplication of treponemes at the site of inoculation and in the lymphoid organs, but the humoral response was not different from that of non-irradiated controls. The results seem to suggest a defect in antigen recognition by the immunocompetent cells in the resistant Albany guinea pigs.
authors.affiliation: Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wicher
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wicher
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakubowski
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bartholomew
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakeeb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000528:radiation effects; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000032:analysis; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008297:Male; D013587:Syphilis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D004546:Elapid Venoms; C016310:cobra venom factor