Nematospiroides dubius: susceptibility to infection and the development of resistance in hypothymic (nude) BALB/c mice

Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci. 1978 Oct;56(5):561-70. doi: 10.1038/icb.1978.62.

Abstract

BALB/c-nu/nu mice and their intact nu/+ littermates are equally susceptible to infection with third-stage larvae of Nematospiroides dubius. Unlike their heterozygous littermates, however, the nu/nu mice are unable to form ganulomata in the intestinal wall and become only partially resistant to rechallenge. Following two or more infections, nu/nu mice maintain a high burden of adult intestinal worms, whereas worms are lost from immune nu/+ mice. Studies in T cell-injected nu/nu mice suggest that a full complement of T cells is needed to develop maximum resistance against the infective third-stage larvae and to expel adult worms. Measurement of serum immunoglobulin levels indicate that infected nu/+ mice have very high levels of IgG1 whereas the levels of IgG2a are reduced. In infected T cell-injected nu/nu mice, IgG1 levels increase with the number of T cells injected, whereas IgG2a levels are variable but always higher than in infected nu/+ mice.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Female
  • Immunity*
  • Immunization
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin M / analysis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Nematoda / immunology
  • Nematode Infections / immunology*
  • Nematode Infections / parasitology
  • T-Lymphocytes / transplantation
  • Transplantation, Isogeneic

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M