Host Cell Surface Expression of Rickettsia typhi Antigens during Infection

摘要

Immune responses to rickettsial infection have been attributed to both humoral and cellular mechanisms. Although it has been shown that transfer of immune cells 1) or serum 2) can mediate resistance to challenge, the exact immune mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Since rickettsiae are obligate intracellular bacteria, an immune attack upon rickettsiae while they are still inside the host cell would represent a powerful immunologic defense. In the present report, we show that tissue culture cells infected with Rickettsia typhi express rickettsia-specific antigens on their surfaces. Such antigens may provide triggering mechanisms for both the afferent and efferent arms of the immune system. Keywords: Endemictyphus.