IgG, IgG1 and IgM response in Trichinella spiralis-infected mice treated with 4-deoxypirydoxine or fed a Vitamin B6-deficient diet

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pyridoxine (Vitamine B6) deficiency on the immunological response of BALB/c mice infected with the parasite T. spiralis. Specific anti-parasite IgM and IgG immunoglobulin s were detected by ELISA method in the serum of treated animals at differen t periods for 60 days post infection. Vitamin B6-deficiency was induced in two separate groups of mice by either (1) maintaining the mice on a Vitamin B6-deficient synthetic pellet diet fo r 40 days before infection, or (2) by daily intraperitoneal injection of 8 x10(5) M/100 mu g of 4-Deoxypyridoxine (4-DPD), a potent antagonist of Vita min B6 for 20 days prior to infection. These two groups of mice were then i njected with 100 larvae (L1-T. spiralis) per os. Parasite burdens in the mice were observed by light microscopy. Cysts were present in the diaphragms of the mice after 60 days post-infection. Parasit e specific IgG, as well as IgG. levels were determined in the sera of infec ted mice fed a normal diet. These levels were found to be lower in the 4-DP D-treated mice compared to the untreated mice. The inhibition started from the 10th day and continued to the 60th day, and in the 4-DPD treated group the inhibition initiated after 24 h to 60 days. IgM level also was depresse d by 4-DPD, starting from 24 h after injection of the compound. In mice fed Vitamin B6-deficient diets the levels of IgG were lower than in mice fed n ormal diets. These results show that BALB/c mice infected with T. spiralis and fed eithe r a Vitamin B6-deficient diet or a diet which included the Vitamin B6-antag onist, 4-DPD, both influence the course of IgG, IgG1 and IgM production.