Open AccessProduction of tumor necrosis factor α by Treponema pallidum , Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., and Leptospira interrogans in isolated rat Kupffer cells
Author(s) -
Marangoni Antonella,
Aldini Rita,
Sambri Vittorio,
Giacani Lorenzo,
Leo Korinne,
Cevenini Roberto
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1016/s0928-8244(03)00345-6
Subject(s) - treponema , leptospira interrogans , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , borrelia garinii , borrelia burgdorferi , tumor necrosis factor alpha , borrelia , borrelia afzelii , leptospira , virology , immunology , antibody , serotype , syphilis , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
Abstract Stimulation of isolated rat Kupffer cells by viable Leptospira interrogans , Treponema pallidum and Borrelia garinii elicited cellular responses resulting in the release of different tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) levels, depending on the spirochetes. L. interrogans induced TNF‐α levels higher than those achieved with B. garinii and T. pallidum (in this order), but lower than the levels achieved with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In contrast to L. interrogans , pretreatment of borreliae and treponemes with polymyxin B did not substantially diminish the ability of B. garinii and T. pallidum to stimulate Kupffer cells. Purified T. pallidum lipoproteins TpN47, TmpA, TpN15–TpN17, and B. garinii OspA induced TNF‐α responses comparable to that achieved by LPS. This response was almost insensitive to the action of polymyxin B.