CD4+ and CD19+ splenocytes undergo apoptosis during an experimental murine infection with Taenia crassiceps.
The Taenia crassiceps cysticercus is a cestode that naturally and experimentally infects rodents in which it reproduces by budding. In the laboratory, a persistent cellular immunosuppression with a concomitant increasing load of parasites has been observed in experimentally infected BALB/cAnN mice. In this study, enhanced apoptosis was found in spleen cells from 30-day infected mice with a typical "ladder-patterned" DNA fragmentation and an increase in phosphatidylserine expression. A characteristic poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage indicates that this cell death is caspase-mediated. Apoptosis was detected in the CD4(+) and CD19(+) splenocytes of infected mice after in vitro stimulation with cysticercal antigens. Considering previous results on the crucial role that CD4(+) T cells play in controlling the extent of infection, apoptosis in this T-lymphocyte subpopulation induced by T. crassiceps cysticerci could be responsible for the immunosuppression that underlies parasite success.
López-Briones
Sergio
S
Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), AP 70228, C.P. 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
Sciutto
Edda
E
Ventura
José Luis
JL
Zentella
Alejandro
A
Fragoso
Gladis
G
D000818:Animals; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000032:analysis*; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013621:Taenia / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D018941:Antigens, CD19; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D020169:Caspases