Use of the skin protection assay in experimental syphilis to assess protective immunity against a specific Treponema pallidum surface epitope.
We have recently shown that a monoclonal antibody, designated M131, that binds a surface phosphorylcholine epitope on Treponema pallidum possesses complement-dependent killing activity and confers partial protection in rabbits following passive immunization (Blanco et al., 2005, Infect. Immun. 73:3083-3095). In this study, the protective potential of M131 was further tested using the rabbit skin protection assay of Titus and Weiser. Both M131 and infection-derived immune rabbit serum resulted in significant lesion delays corresponding to at least a 90% reduction of the treponemal challenge inoculum. The skin protection assay provides a way to assess the protective potential of specific immunogens while using far less antibody than in passive immunization protocols.
Blanco
David R
DR
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. dblanco@mednet.ucla.edu
Champion
Cheryl I
CI
Lovett
Michael A
MA
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000939:Epitopes; D007106:Immune Sera