Sell S, Baker-Zander S, Powell H C
Lab Invest. 1982 Apr;46(4):355-64.
The ultrastructural distribution of Treponema pallidum and the host inflammatory response during experimental testicular infection of rabbits have been examined. During the inductive phase of experimental orchitis both organisms and inflammatory cells, primarily lymphocytes, are coated by amorphous material not seen in other cellular inflammatory reactions. Phagocytosis of organisms by macrophages occurs during the reactive phase. Phagocytic vesicles contain T. pallidum and are frequently lined by amorphous material. T. pallidum do not appear structurally abnormal prior to phagocytosis; destruction of T. pallidum, manifested by swelling and lysis of the organisms, occurs within phagocytic vacuoles. We conclude that removal of organisms during the reactive stage of experimental syphilis is accomplished by phagocytosis and digestion of organisms by macrophages, resulting from a delayed hypersensitivity reaction initiated by specifically sensitized T cells. The presence of amorphous "ground substance" material does not block the inflammatory response and inhibits neither phagocytosis nor digestion by macrophages.
已对兔实验性睾丸感染期间梅毒螺旋体的超微结构分布及宿主炎症反应进行了研究。在实验性睾丸炎的诱导期，病原体和炎症细胞（主要是淋巴细胞）均被无定形物质包裹，这种物质在其他细胞炎症反应中未见。巨噬细胞对病原体的吞噬作用发生在反应期。吞噬泡含有梅毒螺旋体，且常衬有无定形物质。梅毒螺旋体在被吞噬之前结构未见异常；梅毒螺旋体的破坏表现为菌体肿胀和溶解，发生在吞噬泡内。我们得出结论，实验性梅毒反应期病原体的清除是通过巨噬细胞对病原体的吞噬和消化完成的，这是由特异性致敏T细胞引发的迟发型超敏反应所致。无定形“基质”物质的存在并不阻碍炎症反应，也不抑制巨噬细胞的吞噬作用或消化作用。
