Assuntos
Leptospira/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Animais , Contagem de Células , Células Cultivadas , Cricetinae , Meios de Cultura , Haplorrinos , Rim , Leptospira/citologia , Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola/citologia , Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Métodos , SuínosRESUMO
Spherical forms of Leptospira interrogans serotype canicola Hond Utrecht IV were induced with 1 m NaCl. Electron micrographs of these salt-altered cells (SAC) revealed that the outer envelope or sheath had pulled away from the protoplasmic cylinder. Treatment of SAC with 0.02% sodium lauryl sulfate solubilized the sheath and released the protoplasmic cylinder. Further processing of the solubilized sheath yielded a pellet which displayed a membrane structure in electron micrographs. The released protoplasmic cylinder showed loss of intracellular organization and the outer envelope present in normal cells. Immunization of hamsters with whole formalized cells, SAC, or sheath in doses as low as 10 mug/animal protected them from death upon challenge with virulent canicola 27.