Broncho-alveolar leucocyte responses during primary and secondary Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection in the rat.
Using broncho-alveolar lavage, we have studied the cellular responses in the rat lung following primary and secondary infection with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. During the primary infection, there was a biphasic increase in total broncho-alveolar leucocytes and in the absolute numbers of macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes. The first peak occurred on days 4-6, and the second peak occurred around day 16, after infection. During the secondary infection there was an anamnestic-like response by all cell types. These data suggest that the broncho-alveolar leucocyte responses to infection have an immunological basis and that in addition to the alveolar macrophage, neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes may play a significant role in lung resistance against migrating helminth larvae.
D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D009559:Nippostrongylus / Q000502:physiology; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation