INFLUENCE OF CARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES ON THE BINDING OF TREPONEMAL SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES IN THE FLUORESCENCE TREPONEMAL ANTIBODY ABSORPTION TEST AND THE TREPONEMA-PALLIDUM IMMOBILIZATION TEST

The aim of the present study was to investigate the biological role of cardiolipin antibodies during Treponema pallidum infection, Inhibitio n of the binding of treponemal specific antibodies at the early and la te stages of infection by cardiolipin antibodies was shown in the fluo rescence treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test and T. pallidum immobilisation (TPI) test. Incubation of treponemes with cardiolipin antibodies followed by a second incubation with treponemal specific an tibodies resulted in a reduction of the titres of the FTA-ABS test and the TPI test. The findings suggest that cardiolipin antibody producti on should be considered as a virulence mechanism of pathogenic trepone mes with the purpose of evading the host defence mechanisms.