concanavalin-a and Brucellosis

We compared the immunological responses of leukocytes taken from healthy negative controls, laboratory workers immunized with the phenol-insoluble French vaccine against brucellosis, patients acutely ill with brucellosis, and patients chronically infected with Brucella melitensis. A salt-extractable antigen (protein-rich but with traces of lipopolysaccharide) and a sonicated suspension from B. melitensis 16M were used as antigens for in vitro lymphocyte proliferation test. Quantitation of T cells showed that the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells decreased as the condition of the patient deteriorated. An assay to quantitate the cell-mediated immunity showed that the activities of mononuclear cells stimulated with concanavalin A increased as the disease progressed as well.

Topics: Antigens, Bacterial; Brucella melitensis; Brucellosis; CD4 Antigens; CD8 Antigens; Concanavalin A; Humans; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Salts; Sonication

Peripheral lymphocyte function in dogs with Brucella canis infection was evaluated using in vitro lymphocyte stimulation with the mitogens PHA, Con A and PWM, and killed Brucella canis organisms. Bitches with naturally occurring Brucella canis infection were compared to negative controls. There was no difference in the response to Con A and PWM between these two groups. Lymphocytes from infected dogs were less responsive (p less than .05) to PHA than were lymphocytes from controls. There was a significant (p less than .005) difference in response to Brucella canis antigen between the two groups. Lymphocytes from infected dogs were stimulated by Brucella canis antigen, whereas those from controls did not respond.

Topics: Animals; Antigens, Bacterial; Brucella; Brucellosis; Concanavalin A; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Phytohemagglutinins; Pokeweed Mitogens

Topics: Animals; Brucella abortus; Brucellosis; Cell Adhesion; Cells, Cultured; Concanavalin A; Female; Lipopolysaccharides; Lymphocyte Activation; Macrophages; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Spleen; Splenomegaly; Thymidine