[The morphological changes in the body of guinea pigs in response to the administration of different Coxiella burnetii antigens]. / Morfologicheskie izmeneniia v organizme morskikh svinok v otvet na vvedenie razlichnykh antigenov Coxiella burnetii.

In this work the evaluation of macro- and micro-changes in the tissues of guinea pigs to the injection of inactivated antigens of C. burnetii is presented. The injection of these antigens in a dose of 50 micrograms induced only an insignificant reaction at the site of injection; in the brain of the animals, as well as in all examined internal organs, no visible pathological changes were present. During the first two weeks after the injection of the antigens signs of irritation of the reticuloendothelial system and hyperplasia of lymphoid tissue in T- and B-dependent zones were observed in the regional lymph nodes of the experimental animals. These changes became moderate by day 28.

[The comparative characteristics of the immunogenic and immunomodulating activity of different antigenic preparations of the causative agent of Q fever Coxiella burnetii]. / Sravnitel'naia kharakteristika immunogennoi i immunomoduliruiushchei aktivnosti raznykh preparatov antigenov vozbuditelia Q-likhoradki Coxiella burnetii.

The immunogenicity of the Coxiella burnetii corpuscle antigen and two its components, obtained after the treatment with chloroform-methanol or extraction by trichloroacetic acid, was investigated. All the studied antigens were highly immunogenic. A strong correlation was discovered between the immunogenic and immunomodulating properties of the C. burnetii antigens. Cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system are the targets for stimulating action of the studied antigens. A cyclic increase of antibacterial activity and oxygen-dependent metabolism of the peritoneal cells was noted, in addition to the increase of the natural splenocyte cytotoxicity caused by the action of these antigens. The role of cytokines in rising the activity of peritoneal cells and splenocytes, caused by immunization of mice with the above antigenic substances, is discussed.

[Characteristics of DNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms of C. burnetti strains, isolated from areas of Russia]. / Kharakteristika polimorfizma dlin restriktsionnykh fragmentov DNK shtammov C. burnetii, vydelennykh na territorii Rossii.

The structural heterogeneity in Coxiella burnetii chromosomal DNA isolated in the European part of Russia from people, agricultural animals, and ticks has been studied. It is compared with the one of the European strains Henzerling and M44, the only genetically characterized strains up to date. The digestion of the total DNA by the restriction endonucleases BamHI, PstI, XhoI resulted in obtaining two types of restriction patterns. The ones for Henzerling and M44 differed from the restriction patterns of the Russian strains, while the latter proved to be identical. The obtained data are in proof of genetical homogeneity in the Russian group of strains. The group is different from the genomic group including Henzerling and M44. The fact is in proof of the genetical heterogeneity of the European population of coxiellae.

Biological properties of chloroform/methanol extracts of Coxiella Burnetii.

Biological properties of antigens of whole cells of C. burnetii in phase I (WCI), their residue (CMR) and extract (CME) obtained by extraction of C. burnetti with chloroform/methanol mixture were subjected to a comparative study. It was shown that CME is able to react specifically with sera containing antibodies against WCI. The inoculation of animals with CME, but not with WCI and CMR does not cause changes of humoral and cell immunity to Coxiella and does not strengthen nonspecific antibacterial activity, but it can stimulate the formation of antibodies. Morphological changes of internal organs of mice were most expressed after the CMR inoculation and were practically absent after the CME inoculation.

[The antimicrobial cationic proteins of the neutrophilic granulocytes in experimental Q rickettsiosis]. / Antimikrobnye kationnye belki neitrofil'nykh granulotsitov pri éksperimental'nom Ku-rikketsioze.

Blood of 56 guinea pigs with experimental Q rickettsiosis was studied cytochemically (lysosomal cationic test) to measure the level of cationic proteins in neutrophil granulocytes. Development of Q rickettsiosis resulted in a decrease in the killing ability of neutrophils, depending on infection dose introduced. However, by day 7 of the disease, the level of cationic proteins in blood neutrophil granulocytes returned to the initial range. Similar situation was noted after subcutaneous injection of Coxiella burnetti corpuscular antigen. Subcutaneous infection with the living culture stimulus induced the wave-like decrease of the cationic proteins content. Infection of pre-immunized animals led to smaller decrease in the cationic proteins levels and to their more rapid recovery. Aspects of antimicrobial activity of neutrophil granulocyte cationic proteins in experimental Q rickettsiosis is discussed.

Dynamics of non-specific antibacterial activity of the peritoneal cells of mice induced with Coxiella burnetii antigen.

It was found that primary immunization with Coxiella burnetii antigen increased mouse resistance to Salmonella typhimurium infection as evidenced by acceleration of bacterial elimination from the peritoneal cavity and a decrease in lethality of experimental animals. The existence of two rises of bactericidal activity of mouse peritoneal cells was ascertained: the "early" on days 1 and 2, and the "late" on day 14 after C. burnetii administration. The first rise was accompanied by some increase in the number of peritoneal cells as well as by some change of their qualitative representation. The second increase of antibacterial activity was detected during the pronounced cellular and humoral immune responses to C. burnetii.

[The host reaction to the administration of different components of Coxiella burnetii]. / Reaktsiia khoziaina na vvedenie razlichnykh komponentov Coxiella burnetii.

After the intraperitoneal injection of corpuscles of C. burnetii antigen (Ag), phospholipid (PL), and sediment obtained after the extraction of PL from Ag with chloroform-methanol (CM) slight leukocytic reaction developed in the peritoneum on day 1, and on day 2 it could be observed in the liver and in the spleen. Ag induced the most pronounced morphological changes. In the spleen they were manifested by the activation of T- and B-dependent zones of white pulp from day 2 and by the pronounced hyperplasia of reticular cells and macrophages, leading to splenomegaly, by days 7-14. Simultaneously lymphoid-macrophagal granulomas and hepatomegaly developed in the liver. By days 7-14 the foci of necrosis in the liver were caused by the thrombosis of portal veins and were not registered after the injection of PL and CM (and earlier also in experiments with Ag in doses of 0.1-0.3 mg).