IMMUNOBIOLOGY OF EXPERIMENTAL SYPHILIS

人类梅毒的动物模型已经开发出来，其中近亲繁殖的叙利亚人 感染梅毒螺旋体的仓鼠会出现“硬”样病变， 接种部位（腹股沟区）的”下疳“最终愈合， 然后动物发展出与人类粘膜病变相对应的口腔溃疡， 二期梅毒 拟议的研究将审查潜在的 与急性和慢性炎症相关的免疫抑制的细胞机制 梅毒感染 特异性B淋巴细胞、T淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞 将在仓鼠的不同阶段评估细胞功能， 感染 结论将作出关于水平 免疫抑制（即，无论是B、T还是巨噬细胞受到影响）， 免疫抑制的性质（即，无论是被动的还是主动的）， 免疫抑制的原因（密螺旋体特异性 抑制性T细胞或抗独特型抗体和/或非嗜细胞性或 非调理抗体）。 特定细胞的阐明 二期和三期梅毒的发病机制 可能最终使研究人员能够通过以下方式纠正这些缺陷： 免疫指的是。

An animal model of human syphilis has been developed, where inbred Syrian hamsters infected with Treponema pallidum develop lesions like "hard chancre" at the site of inoculation (inguinal area) which eventually heal, then animals develop oral ulcers corresponding to mucosal lesions of human secondary syphilis. The proposed research will examine the underlying cellular mechanisms of immunosuppression associated with acute and chronic syphilitic infection. Specific B lymphocyte, T lymphocyte and macrophage cell functions will be assessed in hamsters at various stages of infection. Conclusions will be made concerning the level of immunosuppression (i.e., whether B, T, or macrophage cells are affected), the nature of immunosuppression (i.e., whether it is passive or active) and the cause(s) of immunosuppression (development of treponema specific suppressor T cells or antiidiotypic antibodies and/or non-cytophilic or non-opsonizing antibodies). Elucidation of the specific cellular mechanisms involved in the development of secondary and tertiary syphilis may ultimately enable researchers to correct the deficiencies by immunotherapeutic means.