title: Antigenic variation in Giardia lamblia: infection of congenitally athymic nude and scid mice.
abstract: Athymic nude mice of the outbred Zur:ICR-nu and inbred BALB/c strain and scid mice were infected with a cloned human isolate of Giardia lamblia (GS/M-83-H7). Changes in the expression of the major surface epitope of the intestinal trophozoites (characterized by the binding capacity of monoclonal antibody MoAbG10/4) as well as cellular and humoral immune parameters of the hosts were followed during the course of infection. Self-cure was observed in heterozygous (nu/+) BALB/c mice by day 22 post-infection (p.i.) and in heterozygous (nu/+) Zur:ICR-nu strain by day 65 p.i. Homozygous (nu/nu) mice of both strains remained chronically infected until end of the experiments (day 45 p.i. for BALB/c mice and day 122 p.i. for Zur:ICR-nu mice, respectively). Only heterozygous (nu/+) mice were able to mount a gut-associated (Peyer's patch) lymphoproliferative response to G. lamblia antigen. Therefore, T-cell dependent mechanisms were necessary for a self-cure. Antigenic variation occurred in all nu/+ and nu/nu animals of both strains. Trophozoites expressing the major surface epitope (assessed by direct immunofluorescence with FITC-labelled MoAb G10/4) decreased to zero by day 22 p.i. In contrast, the proportion of trophozoites expressing the major surface epitope in infected scid mice remained at the initial level (greater than 99%) until termination of the experiment (day 25 p.i.); therefore, antigenic variation did not occur. All nu/nu and nu/+ mice but not scid mice demonstrated a humoral immune response to G. lamblia antigen. These experiments suggest functional B-cell dependent mechanisms are most likely responsible for the surface antigen switch. Transfer of infection occurred naturally from experimentally infected scid-mice to their mother, proving the initial antigenic surface variant remains unchanged after encystment and subsequent excystment followed by infection in a new host.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, University of Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gottstein
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Nash
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D000940:Antigenic Variation / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016829:Giardia lamblia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D016513:Mice, SCID; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000939:Epitopes