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Lymphocyte reactivity in patients with gonococcal urethritis.
The British Journal of Venereal Diseases
|August 1, 1978
Summary
This study investigated lymphocyte reactivity to gonococcal antigen in patients with urethritis. Seronegative males showed significantly lower T-cell responses to gonococcal antigen compared to other patient groups.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Urology
Background:
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonococcal urethritis, a common sexually transmitted infection.
- Understanding host immune responses, particularly lymphocyte reactivity, is crucial for developing effective diagnostics and treatments.
- Previous studies have explored immune responses to gonococcal antigens, but cellular reactivity in relation to serological status requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess lymphocyte reactivity to virulent gonococcal antigen T2 and non-pathogenic Neisseria pharyngis (NPN) in patients with gonococcal urethritis.
- To investigate the correlation between serological test results (gonococcal complement-fixation test - GCFT) and cellular immune responses.
- To compare immune responses between different patient subgroups and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Lymphocyte reactivity was measured using 14C-thymidine uptake in cell cultures.
- Cultures were stimulated with virulent gonococcal antigen T2 and non-pathogenic NPN.
- Participants included 42 patients with gonococcal urethritis and 18 controls; serum antibodies were detected using GCFT.
Main Results:
- DNA synthesis was higher in cell cultures from female patients stimulated with T2 antigen compared to controls.
- Male patients with a negative GCFT showed significantly lower 14C-thymidine uptake in response to T2 antigen compared to all other patients (P < 0.001).
- Seronegative women exhibited higher DNA synthesis than seronegative men (P < 0.01), and overall lymphocyte reactivity to gonococcal antigen was significantly higher in patients versus controls, excluding seronegative men.
Conclusions:
- Lymphocyte reactivity to gonococcal antigen T2 is altered in patients with gonococcal urethritis, particularly in seronegative males.
- The study highlights a potential difference in cellular immune responses between genders in the context of gonococcal infections.
- These findings suggest that serological status, especially in males, may not fully reflect cellular immune competence against gonococcal antigens.