title: Production of tumor necrosis factor alpha by Treponema pallidum, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., and Leptospira interrogans in isolated rat Kupffer cells.
abstract: Stimulation of isolated rat Kupffer cells by viable Leptospira interrogans, Treponema pallidum and Borrelia garinii elicited cellular responses resulting in the release of different tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels, depending on the spirochetes. L. interrogans induced TNF-alpha levels higher than those achieved with B. garinii and T. pallidum (in this order), but lower than the levels achieved with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In contrast to L. interrogans, pretreatment of borreliae and treponemes with polymyxin B did not substantially diminish the ability of B. garinii and T. pallidum to stimulate Kupffer cells. Purified T. pallidum lipoproteins TpN47, TmpA, TpN15-TpN17, and B. garinii OspA induced TNF-alpha responses comparable to that achieved by LPS. This response was almost insensitive to the action of polymyxin B.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Microbiologia DMCSS, University of Bologna, Policlinico S Orsola, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marangoni
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aldini
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sambri
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giacani
authors.forename: Korinne
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Di Leo
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cevenini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000276:immunology; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011112:Polymyxin B