THYMUS DEPENDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE OF INTESTINAL PATHOLOGY IN A TRICHINELLA-SPIRALIS INFECTION - STUDY IN CONGENITALLY ATHYMIC (NUDE) MICE

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 58  (3) , 311-314
Abstract
The hypothesis that non-specific histopathological gut changes are thymus-dependent was tested in a helminth infection.sbd.the nematode T. spiralis. The study was performed in congenitally athymic (nu/nu) mice and their thymus-bearing heterozygous litter-mates (+/nu). The non-specific histopathological changes of the small intestine were judged on villus/crypt ratio and mitotic index; for the specific (immunological) reaction the number of pyroninophilic cells in the small intestine was used as criterion. T. spiralis induced non-specific histopathological reactions in nu/nu and +/nu mice, whereas the number of pyroninophilic cells was only increased in +/nu mice. The immunological reaction was dependent on the immune status of the host, whereas non-specific histopathological changes were not, i.e., they were thymus-dependent.