In vitro leucocyte proliferative responses and lymphocyte sub-types in guinea pigs with genetically determined high- and low-level responsiveness to Trichostrongylus colubriformis
Mh. Manjili et al., In vitro leucocyte proliferative responses and lymphocyte sub-types in guinea pigs with genetically determined high- and low-level responsiveness to Trichostrongylus colubriformis, PARASIT RES, 86(4), 2000, pp. 311-317
In vitro leucocyte proliferative responses to parasite antigens and to mito
gens as well as lymphocyte sub-types were compared in guinea pigs with gene
tically determined differences in their ability to express protective immun
ity against Trichostronylus colubriformis infection. Proliferative response
s to parasite antigens were greatest in high-responder (HR) animals, but ce
lls from low-responder (LR) animals were generally more responsive to mitog
ens. However, HR circulating leucocytes were more responsive to the T-cell-
dependent B-cell mitogen pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and the response of HR, bu
t not LR, cells increased during primary infection with T. colubriformis. F
low cytometry revealed significantly greater numbers of circulating B-cells
in HR animals and, as observed for responsiveness to PWM, the number of ci
rculating B-cells increased in HR, but not LR, animals during primary infec
tion with this parasite. These findings suggest a larger and more labile po
pulation of B-cells in HR guinea pigs.