The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 46, Issue 8 669-674, Copyright © 1997 by Society for General Microbiology
Studies on the lysozyme independence of immune immobilisation of Treponema pallidum and the frequency of lysozyme autoantibodies in syphilitic sera
S. Zielinski and H. L. Borkhardt
Institute for Medical Microbiology, Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, Germany.
The role of lysozyme in the immune immobilisation of Treponema pallidum is
not yet fully understood. The T. pallidum immobilisation assay was used to
demonstrate that the immobilisation and lysis of T. pallidum in vitro by
antibodies (serum, IgG fraction or IgM fraction) and complement proceed in
a lysozyme-independent mode. In the presence of lysozyme the rate of
immobilisation increased. In contrast with its effect on Escherichia coli,
the effect of lysozyme on T. pallidum was governed exclusively by its
enzymic activity rather than by the cationic protein nature of the
molecule. Lysozyme, released from stimulated phagocytes, induced formation
of lysozyme antibodies in 59.6% of syphilis patients as determined by
lysozyme antibody ELISA. The highest frequency was found in patients with
untreated secondary syphilis, whereas untreated primary syphilis was only
rarely accompanied by the presence of lysozyme antibodies.
Cross-reactivities between lysozyme and treponemal antigens were excluded
by immunoblotting. The autoantibodies did not influence the lysozyme
activity. It was concluded that the formation of lysozyme antibodies is
only an epiphenomenon in the host defence against treponemal infection.
