Antigenic Analysis of Treponema Pallidum : Utilization of the TP Antigen(s) in Disease Staging as well as in Evaluating the Result of Treatment.

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Changes in reactivities of Ig class and IgG subclass of anti-Treponema pallidum antibodies after treatment in sera from patients with clinical syphilis were assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfateーpolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis immunoblotting. A marked decrease in reactivity of IgM antibodies was noted after treatment and IgM antibody proved to be effective as a marker for evaluating the result of treatment. In occasional cases, however, IgM reactivity remained below the lower limit of sensitivity of the assay or failed to decline despite treatment. IgA antibodies decreased after treatment in limited cases of primary and secondary syphilis. No significant fall of IgG antibody was observed after treatment in the majority of syphilitic patients. Assessment made at the levels of IgG subclass antibodies demonstrated a decline in reactivity of one or more IgG subclass antibodies after treatment. The IgG subclasses and types of T. pallidum antigen(s) reacting with them that responded in conjunction with treatment, nevertheless, varied among patients. However, 56Kd antigen proved to be the most reliable marker antigen for the assessment of IgM reactivity. These results indicated that it is useful in evaluating the effect of treatment to monitor IgA and IgG subclass antibodies in those cases where IgM antibody fails to serve as a marker for the evaluation.