Reactivity of various anticardiolipin antibodies with intact mitochondria.

Human syphilitic sera and BFP sera react with cardiolipin of intact rat liver and bovine heart mitochondria as evidenced by the absorption of the Wassermann antibody into mitochondria and by complement-fixation with diluted mitochondrial suspension. In contrast, rabbit antisera induced by immunization with floccules consisting of human syphilitic serum and VDRL antigen did not bind to mitochondria to any appreciable extent. The difference was not related to the 19S/7S class of the antibody. It was not related to any difference between man and rabbit either since sera of rabbits with experimental syphilis resembled human syphilitic sera more than rabbit sera induced by immunization with floccules.