Immune lysis of spin label loaded liposomes incorporating cardiolipin; a new sensitive method for detecting anticardiolipin antibodies in syphilis serology.

Liposomes prepared from a mixture of the pure lipids cholesterol, lecithin and cardiolipin (molar ratio 50/45/5), are able to bind antibodies directed against Treponema pallidum. When the liposomes are loaded with the water soluble spin label tempocholine chloride, the release of spin label from the liposomes can be monitored directly by observing changes in the paramagnetic resonance (ESR) spectrum from the spin label. The method offers a convenient technique for monitoring the complement-mediated lysis of liposomes, and may be applied in the serological diagnosis of syphilis, and a method for quantitative measurement of complement.