Phagocytosis of Borrelia recurrentis by blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes is enhanced by antibiotic treatment

The removal of Borrelia spirochetes from the blood in relapsing fever was studied by examining patients' blood phagocytic cells with the Dieterle silver stain. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes ingested Borrelia at increased rates for several hours after antibiotic treatment, during which time the total numbers of circulating plasma spirochetes were decreasing. Incubation of infected blood at 37 degrees C for 2 h resulted in a progressive increase in phagocytosis. Addition of penicillin G and tetracycline to infected blood caused a further enhancement of phagocytosis. Electron microscopy of polymorphonuclear leukocytes revealed spirochetes in phagosomes. These results indicated that blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes have a prominent role in removing Borrelia from the plasma and suggested that antibiotics act by altering the surface of spirochetes to render them more susceptible to phagocytosis.

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Routine diagnostic methods for sensitive detection of louse-borne relapsing fever due to Borrelia recurrentis based on PCR and fluorescent microscopy used in case cluster in southern Germany 2015

10.26226/morressier.56d5ba28d462b80296c96201 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Andreas Wieser

Keyword(s):

Fluorescent Microscopy ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Sensitive Detection ◽

Relapsing Fever ◽

Southern Germany ◽

Borrelia Recurrentis

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Conceptualizing histories of multispecies entanglements: Ancient pathogen genomics and the case of Borrelia recurrentis

Journal of Social Archaeology ◽

10.1177/1469605321993942 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 146960532199394

Author(s):

Venla Oikkonen

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Ancient Dna ◽

Relapsing Fever ◽

Borrelia Recurrentis ◽

The Past ◽

Cultural Implications ◽

Past Millennium

This article explores the conceptual and cultural implications of using pathogen ancient DNA (aDNA) collected in archaeological contexts to understand the past. More specifically, it examines ancient pathogen genomics as a way of conceptualizing multispecies entanglements. The analysis focuses on the 2018 sequencing of Borrelia recurrentis bacteria retrieved from a medieval graveyard in Oslo, Norway. B. recurrentis is associated with louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF), known to have killed several million people in Europe during the past millennium, and it is still encountered in parts of East Africa. The article demonstrates that while aDNA research often foregrounds multispecies entanglements, its epistemic tools cannot easily address the ontological blurriness of pathogens and their embeddedness in vibrant material processes. The article draws on feminist posthumanities work on microbes and materiality to highlight conceptual openings that a theorization of ancient pathogens could engender.

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Hydroxyl radical formation in phagocytic cells of the rat

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1979.46.1.136 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 136-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

D. B. Drath ◽

M. L. Karnovsky ◽

G. L. Huber

Keyword(s):

Hydroxyl Radical ◽

Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes ◽

Cell Concentration ◽

Intact Cell ◽

Peritoneal Macrophages ◽

Cell Type ◽

Phagocytic Cells ◽

Fourfold Increase ◽

Highly Active ◽

Effective Particle

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and macrophages, harvested from the peritoneum and lung, release superoxide (O-.2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) during phagocytosis. These two agents are thought to react with each other to produce a highly active oxidative substance known as hydroxyl radical (OH.). We present evidence suggesting that these radicals are generated by phagocytic cells of the rat. Our findings are based upon an assay where ethylene gas is generated from methional by the action of this radical. Ethylene generation was shown to be inhibited by superoxide dismutase, catalase, and scavengers of OH.. Of the cells examined, PMN generated the most ethylene from methional, exhibiting a fourfold increase during phagocytosis. Pulmonary and peritoneal macrophages caused smaller amounts of this gas to be formed. Regardless of cell type, an intact cell was required for ethylene generation. Zymosan appeared to be the most effective particle for all cells in ethylene formation from methional, although opsonization was critical only for PMN. Ethylene generation was dependent on cell concentration to an extent and increased with time.

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Application of Methenamine Silver Stain for Electron Microscopy*

Journal of Electron Microscopy ◽

10.1093/oxfordjournals.jmicro.a049279 ◽

1961 ◽

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Silver Stain ◽

Methenamine Silver ◽

Methenamine Silver Stain

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Effects of Suramin on PMN Interactions with Different Surfaces

Bioscience Reports ◽

10.1023/a:1020214928298 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 19 (6) ◽

pp. 547-558 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Galina F. Sud'ina ◽

Marina A. Pushkareva ◽

Svetlana I. Galkina ◽

Sergey A. Surkov ◽

Martin Mehl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽

Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes ◽

Dextran Sulfate ◽

Solid Surfaces ◽

Ionophore A23187 ◽

Chemotherapeutic Drug ◽

Coated Surfaces ◽

Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes ◽

Scanning Electron

Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were found to tightly adhere on endothelial (lines EAhy926 and ECV304) and collagen surfaces under the influence of the chemotherapeutic drug suramin. This was observed by scanning electron microscopy and quantitated by myeloperoxidase assays. Suramin also inhibited Ca2+ ionophore A23187-stimulated leukotriene (LT) synthesis in PMN interaction with endothelial cells or with collagen surface. Suramin decreased the release of radiolabeled arachidonic acid (AA) and 5-lip-oxygenase (5-LO) metabolites by prelabeled PMN stimulated with A23187. Using agents releasing the suramin-stimulated adhesion namely jasplakonolide and dextran sulfate, we observed a reversal of the suramin effect on leukotriene synthesis. Jasplakonolide released the adhesion of PMN on endothelial and collagen-coated surfaces and restored 5-LO activity. Dextran-sulfate released adhesion on collagen-coated surfaces and abolished suramin inhibition. Arachidonate could also overcome adhesion and inhibition of 5-LO. We conclude that suramin-induced tight attachment of PMN on to solid surfaces lead to decreased leukotriene synthesis during subsequent A23187 stimulation in the absence of exogenous substrates.

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Rate of deoxygenation and rheologic behavior of blood in sickle cell anemia

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v77.6.1353.1353 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 77 (6) ◽

pp. 1353-1361 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

DK Kaul ◽

H Xue

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Progressive Increase ◽

Large Percentage ◽

Cell Orientation ◽

Morphologic Characteristics ◽

Viscosity Increase ◽

Physical Attributes ◽

Rheologic Behavior ◽

Dependent Viscosity ◽

Shape Characteristics

Abstract To understand the relationship between deoxygenation rate, rheologic behavior, and red blood cell (RBC) morphologic characteristics of blood in sickle (SS) cell anemia, washed oxy SS RBC suspensions (hematocrit, 40%) were subjected to relatively fast and gradual deoxygenation procedures. Relatively fast deoxygenation resulted in 50% decline in percent hemoglobin oxygen saturation (%HbO2) within 1 minute. The SS suspensions following relatively fast deoxygenation showed two distinct phases in viscosity profiles. First, there was a sharp increase in individual viscosities to a peak value at 7 minutes of deoxygenation. Second, prolonged deoxygenation resulted in a 27% to 37% decrease in individual viscosities at 30 minutes as compared with the respective peak values at 7 minutes. Most of the viscosity increase (ie, about fourfold) occurred within the first 3 minutes of relatively fast deoxygenation. Scanning electron microscopy and differential morphologic analysis of deoxy cells showed that at 7 minutes a majority of cells had a granular appearance that was characterized by a bumpy irregular surface and the presence of small spicule-like projections. Prolonged deoxygenation resulted in the appearance of a large percentage of elongated cells that were unlike typical sickle cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the elongated shape resulted from the alignment of HbS polymers into long projections. In contrast, gradual deoxygenation over a period of 30 minutes resulted in a progressive increase in viscosity and in the formation of typical sickle shapes and holly leaf cells. The results show that at matching %HbO2, the SS suspensions containing mainly granular shaped cells after 7 minutes of relatively fast deoxygenation are as viscous as the gradually deoxygenated suspensions that contain classic sickle shapes and holly leaf forms, while the suspensions having a large percentage of elongated cells (30 minutes after relatively fast deoxygenation) are the least viscous. The two distinct time-dependent viscosity phases observed after relatively fast deoxygenation probably result from differences in the RBC shape characteristics reflecting physical attributes of the polymer, which could affect cell orientation in the viscometric flow.

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The use of a specific enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to monitor the persistence of penicillin g residues in milk following intramammary antibiotic treatment

Food and Agricultural Immunology ◽

10.1080/09540109109354724 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 3-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

R. Jackman ◽

S. J. Mitchell ◽

S. D. Dyer ◽

J. Chesham

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Penicillin G ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Specific Enzyme

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Relapsing Fever Spirochetes Borrelia recurrentis and B. duttonii Acquire Complement Regulators C4b-Binding Protein and Factor H

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.00007-06 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 74 (7) ◽

pp. 4157-4163 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

T. Meri ◽

S. J. Cutler ◽

A. M. Blom ◽

S. Meri ◽

T. S. Jokiranta

Keyword(s):

Binding Protein ◽

Protein A ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Factor H ◽

Complement Pathway ◽

Relapsing Fever ◽

Borrelia Recurrentis ◽

First Report ◽

Complement Regulators

ABSTRACT Relapsing fever is a rapidly progressive and severe septic disease caused by certain Borrelia spirochetes. The disease is divided into two forms, i.e., epidemic relapsing fever, caused by Borrelia recurrentis and transmitted by lice, and the endemic form, caused by several Borrelia species, such as B. duttonii, and transmitted by soft-bodied ticks. The spirochetes enter the bloodstream by the vector bite and live persistently in plasma even after the development of specific antibodies. This leads to fever relapses and high mortality and clearly indicates that the Borrelia organisms utilize effective immune evasion strategies. In this study, we show that the epidemic relapsing fever pathogen B. recurrentis and an endemic relapsing fever pathogen, B. duttonii, are serum resistant, i.e., resistant to complement in vitro. They acquire the host alternative complement pathway regulator factor H on their surfaces in a similar way to that of the less serum-resistant Lyme disease pathogen, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. More importantly, the relapsing fever spirochetes specifically bind host C4b-binding protein, a major regulator of the antibody-mediated classical complement pathway. Both complement regulators retained their functional activities when bound to the surfaces of the spirochetes. In conclusion, this is the first report of complement evasion by Borrelia recurrentis and B. duttonii and the first report showing capture of C4b-binding protein by spirochetes.

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