The role of mononuclear-cell recruitment to the lungs in the development and expression of immunity to Schistosoma mansoni.
The role of pulmonary cellular responses in the induction and expression of immunity to Schistosoma mansoni has been evaluated. From experiments in which mice were challenged at intervals after vaccination, we conclude that the resistance mechanism operating in the lungs develops between days 11 and 20. Injection of 51Cr-labelled splenocytes revealed that mononuclear cell recruitment to the lungs, stimulated by the arrival of attenuated schistosomula, intensified progressively between days 10 and 16 post-vaccination. The increased cellularity was reflected in a 19.5% augmentation in the wet-weight index (WW). The period of enhanced cell recruitment therefore coincided with the build-up of resistance. By day 22 post-vaccination infiltration had declined, whilst WW remained elevated. This indicates the persistence of recruited cells, which include schistosome-reactive T lymphocytes, in the lungs. We were unable to demonstrate augmented recruitment of 51Cr-labelled cells after challenge of vaccinated mice, but WW rose slightly, peaking on day 12. Although clearly of a lower order than the primary response, the secondary response was more rapid, implying the existence of immunological memory. These results accord with the concept that schistosome-reactive T lymphocytes recruited after vaccination 'arm' the lungs against the arrival of challenge parasites.
Ratcliffe
E C
EC
Department of Biology, University of York.
Wilson
R A
RA
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000276:immunology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination