GAMMA-DELTA T-CELLS AND ACUTE PRIMARY TOXOPLASMA-GONDII INFECTION IN MICE

A murine model of Toxoplasma gondii infection was used to investigate whether gamma delta T cells are required to resist primary acute toxop lasmosis. The surface phenotype of peritoneal exudate and spleen cells obtained from T. gondii-infected mice was examined using anti-gamma d elta T cell-specific reagents and flow cytometry. Survival of mice dep leted of gamma delta T cells was also followed during the acute phase of toxoplasmosis. Numbers of gamma delta T cells did not increase in s pleen or peritoneal exudates of mice infected with T. gondii. Moreover , infected mice depleted of gamma delta T cells survived as long as un treated infected mice. These results indicate that gamma delta T cells do not play an important role in host defense against T. gondii infec tion in mice.