Effect of Treponema pallidum-infected testis supernatants on the cellular response of normal rabbit lymphocytes.
This report presents evidence indicating that both Treponema pallidum and the T. pallidum-free supernatant from T. pallidum-infected rabbit testes exert an immunosuppressive effect on the spontaneous proliferation and mitogenic response of normal rabbit lymphocytes. This effect seemed to be on the level of clonal expansion since antigenic recognition and blastogenic factor production occurred in spite of the presence of the immunosuppressive substance(s). The implication of this finding for T. pallidum multiplication in rabbit testes is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013587:Syphilis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013737:Testis / Q000382:microbiology; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology*