title: A method to evaluate the capacity of monocytes and macrophages to inhibit multiplication of an intracellular pathogen.
abstract: A new method to assess intracellular inhibition of multiplication or killing by normal and activated mouse peritoneal macrophages, human peripheral blood monocytes, and human monocyte-derived macrophages is described. This method involves measurement of incorporation of [3H]uracil into nucleic acids of the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The method utilizes the observation by Pfefferkorn and Pfefferkorn (1977) that [3H]uracil is incorporated in substantially greater amounts by T. gondii than by certain mammalian cell types. Differential uptake of [3H]uracil by Toxoplasma-infected and uninfected cultures allows for evaluation of the ability of macrophages or monocytes to inhibit or kill this organism. This method has been adapted to microsystem.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens; D001345:Autoradiography; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D014498:Uracil / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D014498:Uracil