Precipitin responses of infected mice to exoantigens and cellular antigens of Trypanosoma musculi

Abstract

Plasma were collected from mice which had been immunosuppressed with 650 R from a cobalt-60 gamma radiation source and infected with Trypanosoma musculi. Trypanosomes were also collected from immuno-suppressed mice and from nonirradiated, infected animals. Rabbit antiserum was prepared against trypanosomes fron nonirradiated mice and employed in immunodiffusion analyses to detect trypanosome exoantigens (ExAg) in plasma of irradiated, infected mice and cellular antigens (CAg) in extracts of parasites which had been collected from immunosuppressed and nonirradiated hosts. The rabbit antiserum formed at least 3 precipitin lines with plasma from irradiated, infected mice and 8–9 precipitin lines with extracts of parasites which were obtained from immunosuppressed and untreated mice. Two of the precipitin reactions were against mouse plasma antigens (PAg). Lower levels of PAg appeared to be present in extracts of trypanosomes which were isolated from the irradiated mice than in those from nonirradiated animals. Mice synthesized antibodies against 1 ExAg which was demonstrable in immunodiffusion tests by 14 days after T. musculi infection. A single precipitin reaction was also seen after 21 days. One to 2 precipitin lines were formed with ExAg after 42 days of infection. Two to 3 precipitin lines formed between the ExAg and mouse antisera collected 98, 175 and 341 days after injection of the T. musculi. Similar immunodiffusion reactions were detected with CAg present in both the extracts of T. musculi which had been isolated from irradiated and those from nonirradiated mice and the mouse antisera. One to 2 precipitin lines were found between CAg and antisera from mice which had been infected for 14 days. Two precipitating antigen-antibody systems were seen with antisera collected after 21, 42 and 98 days and 2–3 precipitin reactions were formed between CAg and antisera collected from mice 175 and 341 days after infection. Absorption and immunodiffusion analyses conducted with rabbit and mouse antisera indicated parasite ExAg in plasma of irradiated, T. musculi infected mice were also present in preparations of CAg of the trypanosomes. The persistence of antibody and the increase in the numbers of antigen-antibody systems detected by immunodiffusion during the course of the infection may in part be related to the presence of parasites in capillaries of the kidneys long after they cannot be demonstrated in the peripheral blood of the host.