Genetic control of resistance to infection with Nematospiroides dubius in mice: selection of high and low immune responder populations of mice

Abstract

F1, Quackenbush (Q) x Wild (W) Mus musculus were assayed and selected for their level of immunity to secondary infections with 100 Nematospiroides dubius using faecal parasite egg counts. A significant positive linear correlation was found between the number of parasite eggs voided in the faeces and the number of N. dubius recovered after secondary infections in mice. Selection for immunity was not influenced by the conformation of the mice. High (H) and low (L) responder colonies together with a randomly (Rd) bred colony of mice were established over 5 generations. Adaptive immunity was more efficacious in protecting female than male mice and appeared to be controlled by a few dominant genes; the heritability (h2) of the trait was estimated at 0.56 for the parental stock and 0.55 for the F5 Rd colony and the realized heritability was 0.49. Higher anti-N. dubius antibody titres were detected in H than L mice. H mice harboured fewer and less fecund parasites than Rd colony mice; L mice had more worms with greater fecundities than Rd mice. The levels of primary infections in H and L mice related to the levels developed after secondary infection from F4. This suggested at least partial linkage of genes controlling innate with genes controlling adaptive immunity against N. dubius.