hemagglutination-positive phenotype of Mycoplasma synoviae induces experimental infectious synovitis in chickens more frequently than does the hemagglutination-negative phenotype

• Published in: Infection and Immunity Vol. 66; no. 12; pp. 6004 - 6009
• Main Authors: Narat, M, Bencina, D, Kleven, S.H, Habe, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.12.1998
• Series: Note
• Subjects: Animals; Arthritis - immunology; Arthritis - microbiology; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial Infections; Biological and medical sciences; Chickens; Cyclosporine - pharmacology; Experimental bacterial diseases and models; experimental infections; Hemagglutinins; Hindlimb; Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Mycoplasma - classification; Mycoplasma - pathogenicity; Mycoplasma synoviae; mycoplasmosis; Poultry Diseases - immunology; Poultry Diseases - microbiology; Synovial Fluid - cytology; Synovial Membrane - pathology; Synovitis - immunology; Synovitis - microbiology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Synovitis; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Arthritis; Mycoplasma synoviae; Mollicutes; Mycoplasmatales; Synovial fluid; T-Lymphocyte; Bacteria; Ciclosporin; Aves; Humoral immunity; Immune response; Antibody; Joint; Mycoplasmataceae; Infection; Vertebrata; Hemagglutination; Experimental disease; Phenotype; Arthropathy; Bacteriosis; Microorganism culture; Chicken; Immunosuppressive agent; Mycoplasmal infection
• ISSN: 0019-9567; 1098-5522
• DOI: 10.1128/iai.66.12.6004-6009.1998

Inoculation with hemagglutination-positive (HA+) cultures of Mycoplasma synoviae AAY-4 induced acute synovitis significantly more frequently (P = 0.001) in chicken tibiotarsal-tarsometatarsal joints than did inoculation with HA-negative (HA-) cultures derived from the same clone of AAY-4. Immunoblotting analyses showed that HA+ cultures abundantly expressed two phase-variable hemadherence-associated surface membrane proteins of 53 kDa and 48 to 50-kDa defined by monoclonal antibodies. HA- cultures lacked the 53-kDa proteins and synthesized truncated 27- to 30-kDa forms of the 48- to 50-kDa proteins. Inoculation of cyclo-sporin A (CsA) into infected joints significantly decreased the frequency of acute synovitis (P = 0.001). Moreover, repeated intra-articular inoculation of CsA (three doses of 1 mg at 2-day intervals) significantly reduced the local antibody response to M. synoviae in the joints treated with CsA.