A Study of in Vivo and in Vitro Immune Responses of the A/j Mouse to Plasmodium Berghei
Twining, Linda Carol
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/71892
Description
Title
A Study of in Vivo and in Vitro Immune Responses of the A/j Mouse to Plasmodium Berghei
Author(s)
Twining, Linda Carol
Issue Date
1982
Department of Study
Zoology
Discipline
Zoology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Biology, Zoology
Abstract
The in vivo and in vitro immune response to Plasmodium berghei was studied through three experiments involving the use of mitogens, a soluble suppressive factor, and lymphoblast transformation studies with combinations of lymphoid cells. Three antigen preparations were used in the lymphoblast experiments: a soluble preparation of P. berghei, its ammonium sulfate precipitate and supernate.
In the first experiment mice were treated with either concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, or pokeweed mitogen prior to P. berghei infection. The purpose of mitogen pretreatment was to mimic the mitogenic effects of a Plasmodium infection, theoretically resulting in suppression of the immune response to subsequent infection. The doses of mitogen used were too small to stimulate the lymphocytes exhaustively, but did expand clones of lymphocytes responsible for reacting to P. berghei. Pokeweed mitogen was the most effective in delaying onset of infection and reducing levels of parasitemia during the early part of the infection. A second treatment with pokeweed mitogen did not further reduce the levels of infection or extend the lifespan of the mice.
In the second experiment mice were treated with a soluble factor of P. berghei (SSF), which was known to suppress responses to heterologous antigens, or its ammonium sulfate precipitate (SSF-ppt.). Neither the SSF or SSF-ppt. preparation induced suppression of host responses to P. berghei infection as measured by criteria of levels of parasitemia, first occurrence of death, and mean survival time. The SSF-treated mice showed earlier onset of infection, earlier first peak in parasitemia, earlier first day of death, and a slight decrease in mean survival time.
The lymphoblast transformation experiments confirmed that lymphoid cells from normal and infected mice were able to respond to antigens prepared from P. berghei. Lymphoid cells from SSF-treated mice did not show suppressed reactions to the homologous antigens. The precipitate antigen fraction was the best stimulator of lymphocyte proliferation. Cell fractionation and recombination experiments did not indicate whether macrophages from infected or SSF-treated mice were able to suppress the response to homologous antigens. Results from the lymphoblast transformation experiments were inconsistent. Further refinement of this assay system is necessary.
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