Comparison of activities of mononuclear phagocyte system between the cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus, and the jird, Meriones unguiculatus, in relation to the treatment of filariasis.
The cotton rat and jird, matched according to age and the period after infection with Litomosoides carinii, were administered intraperitoneally with diethylcarbamazine (DEC) at a single dose of 100 mg/kg. Microfilaria counts were conducted 0.5, 1, and 6 hrs and 1, 4, and 7 days after treatment with DEC. The average of percent microfilaria density was significantly higher in the jird than in the cotton rat at any given time except at 6 hrs, when a slight increase was observed in the cotton rat. To clarify the cause of different microfilaricidal activities of DEC between the cotton rat and jird, function of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) was compared in the two animals by observing clearance of the carbon particles introduced into blood vessels. The amount of remaining carbon in the vessels was always lower in the cotton rat than in the jird from 30 min. on after carbon injection. The clearance index K, which is thought to reflect the phagocytic capability of MPS, was higher in the cotton rat than in the jird. Microscopic examination also showed differences in the amount of carbon phagocytosed by the Kupffer cells of the liver in the two animals. The results indicated that the difference in microfilaricidal effect of DEC may be due to different phagocytic activity of MPS.
D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005368:Filariasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000032:analysis; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013997:Time Factors
D002244:Carbon; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine