Changes of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies after gamma-irradiation of mice in the chronic phase of the infection

The effect of sublethal whole body irradiation (800 rads) on the level and biological activities of antibodies in mice chronically infected with the C L strain of Trypanosoma cruzi was studied. Irradiated mice died, although a high parasitemia did not always preceded death. Before and after irradiati on, a constant level of antibodies was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorb ent assay and complement mediated lysis, but after irradiation the level of clearance antibodies was decreased. These results suggest that clearance a ntibodies are important in the control of the chronic phase of the infectio n. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.