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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.

It was shown, for the first time, that polypeptide of rabbit's neutrophils, defensin (D) has the ability to accelerate the reparation process (RP). D was infused intramuscular to rats (125 micrograms/kg) 2 days before the operation, then the skin on the back was dissected through all layers (the length of the wound was constant-10 mm). The rate of the RP was estimated by the changes of the wound length on 2, 5, 7, 13-15 days after the operation. The injection of D or physiological solution was continued during 2 weeks. It was shown, that beginning from the fifth postoperative day the RP in the experimental rats developed faster, than in control rats. In the experimental group the full reparation appeared earlier, than in the control group (on 21-22 and 24-26 days correspondingly. Qualitative (with trypan blue) and semi-quantitative (with colloid coal) methods have shown, that D augmented the permeability of blood vessels. It was proposed, that the RP acceleration was induced by D augmentation of the blood vessels permeability.