[The protective activity of the adhesion pili of Yersinia pestis]. / Izuchenie protektivnoi aktivnosti pilei adgezii Yersinia pestis.

ABSTRACT

Y. pestis adhesion pili (AP) in the native form and in the subunit form, used for immunization in one or two injections in a dose of 12-100 mu g on aluminum hydroxide, did not protect white mice and guinea pigs from experimental Y. pestis infection. The study revealed that AP produced a pronounced cytotoxic effect on macrophages and practically no influence on leukocytes. This result was confirmed in the study of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and in the analysis of 5'-nucleotidase activity of phagocytes. These data make it possible to regard AP as Y. pestis antimacrophagal pathogenicity factor.