title: Idiotype stimulation of T lymphocytes from Trypanosoma cruzi-infected patients.
abstract: Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote antibodies (anti-epi) from pooled and individual sera from patients with chronic Chagas' disease were purified on immunoaffinity columns of epimastigotes antigens (epi) coupled to activated Sepharose 4B. SDS-PAGE analysis of purified anti-epi preparations showed only the presence of human IgG H and L chains. These antibodies preparations showed similar Western blotting profiles as the sera pools from which they originated. The main polypeptides recognized by anti-epi had apparent molecular masses 31, 46, 51, 75 and 85 kDa. No difference in these patterns were detected between anti-epi from pooled sera of cardiac (anti-epiC) and indeterminate (anti-epiI) clinical forms. Anti-epi preparations (20 to 60 micrograms/ml) of pooled and individual sera stimulated proliferation of homologous and autologous PBMN or T-lymphocyte-enriched population. The stimulatory ability was dependent upon the PBMN-anti-epi combinations. There is no direct correlation between the level of PBMN response to epi and anti-epi stimuli. Comparison of the stimulatory activities of anti-epiC vs anti-epiI on PBMN of either cardiac or indeterminate group of patients indicate that anti-epiC is significantly more active than anti-epiI (p less than 0.025). These data demonstrate the presence of auto-anti-idiotypic-T cells in chagasic patients and lead to the possibility that idiotype/anti-idiotype interactions may play a role in determining the pathogenesis of chagasic cardiopathy.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000276:immunology*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006321:Heart / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes