Investigation Of Lectin Binding On Rabbit Spleen Cell Membrane Infected With Proteus vulgaris

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Proteus vulgaris OX19 infection on the carbohydrate composition of spleen cell membranes in New Zealand adult male rabbits. Rabbits were injected with increasing doses of P. vulgaris OX19 (0.5 ml, 1 ml, 2 ml, 4 ml, 5 ml) at five-day intervals over the course of one month. Following the treatment period, spleen tissues were collected from both the control and infected groups. Tissue sections were stained using the Avidin-Biotin-Peroxidase method with five different lectins: Concavalia ensiformis (Con A), Arachis hypogaea agglutinin (PNA), Bauhinia purpurea agglutinin (BPA), Griffonia simplicifolia I (GS-I), and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I). The stained sections were examined by light microscopy to evaluate lectin binding. Among the lectins used, Con A showed strong binding (+++) to spleen cell membranes of the Proteus-infected group, while moderate binding (++) was observed in the control group. UEA-I exhibited weak binding in the control group but demonstrated moderate binding in the Proteus-infected group. In contrast, PNA, BPA, and GS-I exhibited strong binding (+++) to spleen cell membranes in the control group and moderate binding (++) in the infected group. These findings suggest that P. vulgaris OX19 infection induces alterations in the carbohydrate moieties of glycoproteins and glycolipids in the spleen cell membranes of infected rabbits. It is hypothesized that P. vulgaris modifies the terminal carbohydrates of glycoproteins and/or glycolipids in spleen cell membranes, contributing to the observed changes in lectin binding patterns.