Serum antibody response in experimental human gonorrhoea. Immunoglobulins G, A, and M.

Abstract

This report concerns the sequential development of the immunoglobulin response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae in ten human male volunteers who were experimentally infected with virulent organisms during a study on the correlation of virulence with colonial type (Kellogg, Cohen, Norins, Schroeter, and Reising, 1968). An indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) procedure, using fluorescent antisera specific for human IgG, IgA, and IgM (Ceppellini and others, 1964) antibodies, was used to detect the immunoglobulin class of the patients' antibodies reactive with heat-labile surface or heat-stable somatic antigens. Material and MethodsInoculation Procedure Ten individuals were selected for inoculation from among a large number of volunteers in Atlanta, Georgia. The patients were admitted to a special ward in two groups of three, and one group of four. Particulars regarding the selection of volunteers, the method of intraurethral inoculation, the clinical response, and the criteria for assessing infection and cure, as well as the methods used in preparing the bacteria have been presented in detail elsewhere (Kellogg and others, 1968).All patients were treated on the fifth day of infection except Patient 3 who, at his request, was treated on the third day. Eight patients received one intramuscular injection of 2-4 million units aqueous procaine penicillin G. Patients 4 and 6 were allergic to penicillin and were treated orally with 1-5 g. oxytetracycline. These patients had a culture-proven relapse on Day 7 and were retreated with 3 0 g. oxytetracycline on Days 7 and 8, after which they were judged to be cured.Sera The patients were bled before inoculation and on Days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 60, and 120 after infection. The sera on Day 5 were taken before treatment given that day. The bloods were allowed to clot overnight at 4°C., and the sera were removed and stored in aliquots at -20°C. and -50°C. Sera were diluted in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), pH 7-2, on the day of testing and were used unheated, unless specified.Indirect Fluorescent Antibody (IFA) Procedure The IFA procedure was done as previously described (Cohen, 1967). Briefly, 3 per cent. formalin in PBS was used to preserve the heat-labile surface antigens (F) of the N. gonorrhoeae clone Ti, strain F62, which was used to infect the patients. The heat-stable somatic antigens (121°C.) were exposed by heating the bacteria at 121°C. for 2 hrs. Standard concentrations of these antigens were fixed to circumscribed areas of glass slides. One drop (0-04 ml.) of the diluted test serum was placed over the appropriate area of the slide, and the slide was incubated at 37°C. for 30 min. and then washed in fresh PBS for three 5-min. periods. The classes of antibodies binding to N. gonorrhoeae antigens were detected by incubating the slide-fixed antibody-bacterium complexes with 1 drop of the appropriate fluorescent antiserum specific for human IgG, IgA, or IgM. The slide was then incubated and washed as before, and examined, after mounting and coding, with a fluorescence micros...

Bactericidal activity of human sera against <i> Salmonella Typhi</i>and <i>Salmonella paratyphi</i> A,B,C

“…Salmonella bactericidal activity of normal human sera is a function of IgM as determined by its susceptibility to mercapto-ethanol. This result is in agreement with previous reports (10,28).…”

Immunogenicity of Gonococcal Transferrin Binding Proteins during Natural Infections

“…Typically, women have higher rates of asymptomatic infection than do men (6,26); additionally, women often suffer longer latent periods before symptoms of gonorrhea appear (25). This longer latent period may give the immune system more time to mount a response before treatment is sought (10). However, clearly many of these samples from infected females fell well within the antibody levels of the controls, with only a few individuals having slightly higher antibody titers than the controls (Fig.…”

Acquired and natural immunity to gonococcal infection in chimpanzees.

“…Although our data do not elucidate the mechanism of acquired immunity following gonorrhea, the duration of infection may influence the magnitude of several immunologic responses which, in turn, may play a role in acquired immunity. A longer duration of N. gonorrhoeae infection has been postulated to be one reason for greater humoral (6,(22)(23)(24) and celluar (25) immune responses in certain individuals. Reinfection in men may therefore be related to the fact that the short duration of infection before treatment may not give ample time for the degree of resistance to reinfection observed in the chimpanzees to develop.…”