Kinetics and characterization of antigen-binding and antibody-producing cells in the regional draining lymph nodes and spleen during initial murine schistosomiasis: II. Cellular responses against egg immunogens

Abstract

The lymphocytes of the mediastinal, hepatic, and mesenteric nodes and spleen of mice, exposed to a primary infection of Schistosoma mansoni, were characterized relative to their capacity to produce B- or T-antigen-binding rosette-forming cells (RFC) against a soluble immunogen prepared from the egg stages (SEA). In addition, the B-cell population was further dissected into the rosette-antibody-forming cell (RAFC) population and the plaque-forming cell (PFC) population. The regional node lymphocytes initially expressed responsiveness against the SEA (Weeks 6–8 after exposure) during that period when the parasite first produces eggs. These results are in contradistinction to those obtained (P. B. Khoury, S. S. Lloyd, W. A. Reid, D. J. Weiner, S. M. Phillips, and E. J. L. Soulsby, Cell. Immunol. 59, 233, 1981) with cells against the SCI (soluble cercarial immunogen) where RFC were detected at maximal levels as early as Week 1 after exposure. IgM, IgG, and “IgE” B-RFC, RAFC, and PFC were produced by the draining nodes and the spleen against the SEA. There was a preferential production of “IgE”-responsive cells in the hepatic and mesenteric nodes that was equal to, or even exceeded the IgM responses, in contrast to the results obtained against the SCI. In addition, significant IgA responses against the SEA were detectable only in the mediastinal and mesenteric nodes. These responses differed from those obtained with the SCI where only the mediastinal nodes expressed IgA responsiveness. The B-cell responses obtained against the SEA were similar to those obtained against the SCI in that they exhibited maturational progression from B-RFC, to RAFC, and then to PFC.