ANTIGEN-DEPENDENT RELEASE OF INTERLEUKIN-5 IN-VITRO FROM SPLEEN-CELLSOF MICE INFECTED WITH ANGIOSTRONGYLUS-CANTONENSIS

Antigen dependent release of interleukin 5 in vitro from spleen cells of mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis. International Journ al for Parasitology 23: 865-869. The kinetics of eosinophil growth and /or survival stimulating factors (Eo-stimulating factors) released by spleen cells from A. cantonensis-infected mice were assessed by in vit ro marrow cultures. When spleen cells from C57BL/6 mice 8 to 20 days p .i. were cultured with young adult A. cantonensis worm antigen or Con A, almost equal amounts of Eo-stimulating factors were detected in the conditioned media obtained from both stimulations. No Eo-stimulating factor activity was detected in cultures from spleen cells without sti mulation or from normal spleen cells with stimulation. Production of E o-stimulating factors was inhibited by the pretreatment of the spleen cells with anti-Thy 1.2 or anti-L3T4 antibodies plus complement but no t with anti-Lyt2.2 antibody. In the presence of anti-mouse IL-5 monocl onal antibody, the activity of Eo-stimulating factors was inhibited by up to 99%. IL-5, therefore, appears to play a principal role in induc tion of eosinophilia in mice infected with A. cantonensis.