Complement-mediated regulation of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in mice.
Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan which causes trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease of the human genitourinary tract. The importance of the alternative complement pathway in host defence against T. vaginalis was investigated in vitro. Kinetic studies utilising immunofixation following electrophoresis showed that both a strongly and weakly virulent strain of T. vaginalis activated murine serum C3. In vivo studies with congenic-resistant, C5-deficient, B10.D2/OSn- and C5-sufficient, B10.D2/nSn mice showed that the presence of C5 is a significant factor in the innate host resistance to primary infection with a strongly virulent, but not a weakly virulent trichomonad strain.
Caterina
P
P
Department of Anatomical Pathology, The Western Australian Centre for Pathology and Medical Research, Western Australia. Paul.Caterina@health.wa.gov.au
Lynch
D
D
Ashman
R B
RB
Warton
A
A
Papadimitriou
J M
JM
D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D003167:Complement Activation; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020297:Mice, Congenic; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D012876:Skin Diseases, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence
D003176:Complement C3; D003165:Complement System Proteins