# MECHANISMS OF IMMUNITY TO TREPONEMA PALLIDUM INFECTION

> **NIH NIH R01** · NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE · 1988 · $138,301

## Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is to examine host-treponeme interactions
and characterize the roles of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity
during the course of experimental Treponema pallidum infection in inbred
strains of guinea pigs.  Guinea pigs infected intradermally with T.
pallidum regularly develop treponeme-containing skin lesions during the
early stages of the disease followed by the rapid dissemination of virulent
organisms to the draining lymph nodes.  We will determine during primary
syphilitic infection, when antibodies are produced which specifically
recognize unique treponemal proteins.  These kinetic studies will be done
by separating polypeptides of T. pallidum electrophoretically followed by
reacting them with serum immunoglobulins from infected guinea pigs.  Based
on these Western blotting techniques, molecular characterization of the
polypeptide antigens of T. pallidum reactive with syphilitic serum will be
achieved.  Samples of IgG recognizing unique treponemal proteins will be
fractionated into subclasses (IgG1 & IgG2) and will be tested for
anti-treponemal activity as measured by in vitro-in vivo neutralization
tests.

Guinea pigs develop maximum resistance to cutaneous challenge infection 6-8
months after the primary "immunizing" infection.  Lymphoid cells from such
immune animals have the capacity to transfer protection to recipients
subsequently challenged with T. pallidum.  Experiments will be performed
whereby the course of T. pallidum infection will be studied in guinea pigs
made selectively immunodeficient for either thymus-dependent immunity or
the B-cell component of the immune response followed by the infusion of
syphilis immune lymphocytes.  With this adoptive transfer system, it should
be possible to determine the manner in which T lymphocytes interact with
other cell types (e.g. B cells & macrophages) in the generation and
expression of an effective anti-treponemal immune response.  The final set
of experiments will examine the ability of T. pallidum-induced suppressor
mechanisms to interfere with intrinsic lymphocyte responses in vitro as
well as with the generation and expression of protective immunity in vivo.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3129255
- **Project number:** 5R01AI019824-07
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** WK63UJ11C2H7
- **Principal Investigator:** CHARLES S PAVIA
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $138,301
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1986-12-01 → 1989-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3129255

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3129255, MECHANISMS OF IMMUNITY TO TREPONEMA PALLIDUM INFECTION (5R01AI019824-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3129255. Licensed CC0.

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