Cortisone-induced immunotolerance to nematode infection in CBA/Ca mice. II. A model for human chronic trichuriasis.
Treatment of CBA/Ca mice with cortisone acetate for a short period after infection with Trichuris muris induces a state of immunotolerance which allows the development and survival of a chronic infection. Mice harbouring such infections were found to be less capable of responding to a primary infection with Trichinella spiralis or of producing humoral responses to lipopolysaccharide and sheep red blood cells. Mesenteric lymph node T cells, however, were as responsive to the polyclonal activator phytohaemagglutinin as those from normal mice. Homing to the intestinal tract of activated mesenteric lymph node cells from helminth-infected donors was not impaired in the animals harbouring chronic infections. The results are discussed in terms of antigenic competition and with respect to their relevance to chronic human trichuriasis.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003348:Cortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014235:Trichinellosis / Q000276:immunology; D014257:Trichuriasis / Q000276:immunology*
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D003348:Cortisone