Mechanisms of resistance to the intracellular protozoan Encephalitozoon cuniculi in mice

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 133; no. 5; pp. 2712 - 2719
• Main Authors: Schmidt, EC, Shadduck, JA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Am Assoc Immnol 01.11.1984; American Association of Immunologists
• Subjects: Animals; Antibody Formation; Apicomplexa - immunology; Ascitic Fluid - immunology; Ascitic Fluid - parasitology; Biological and medical sciences; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Encephalitozoon cuniculi; Encephalitozoon cuniculi - immunology; Encephalitozoon cuniculi - physiology; Experimental protozoal diseases and models; Female; Host-Parasite Interactions; Immunity, Innate; Immunization, Passive; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Nude; Parasitic diseases; Phagocytosis; Protozoal diseases; Protozoan Infections - immunology; Protozoan Infections - parasitology; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Vertebrata; Experimental disease; Mammalia; Immune resistance; Nosema cuniculi; Mouse; Immunological investigation; Rodentia; T-Lymphocyte; Host agent relation; Mechanism
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.133.5.2712

Mechanisms of resistance to the obligate intracellular protozoan Encephalitozoon cuniculi were studied in BALB/c mice. Resistance to lethal disease was T cell-dependent because transfer of T-enriched, but not T-depleted, spleen cells from sensitized BALB/c donors would protect infected BALB/c-nu mice. A modified focus-forming assay was utilized to measure effects on E. cuniculi infectivity in vitro. The results show that antibodies exert an opsonization effect and may block parasite entry into nonphagocytic cells. No cytotoxic T cells were demonstrated. Supernatants from E. cuniculi-sensitized spleen cells incubated with E. cuniculi in vitro could induce adherent PEC to kill E. cuniculi.