IMMUNOLOGICAL CLEARANCE OF SE-75-LABELED TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI IN MICE .1. ASPECTS OF THE RADIOLABELING TECHNIQUE

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 36  (3) , 415-420
Abstract
A reliable and simple technique for the in vivo labeling of T. brucei with [75Se]-methionine was developed. Between 97 and 99% of the radioactivity was protein bound in the trypanosomes and spontaneous elution in vitro was < 10% over 4 h. The fate of the labeled trypanosomes after i.v. injection into normal and immune mice was studied. While the vast majority of parasites remained in the circulation of normal animals, they rapidly disappeared from the blood of immune animals. In the latter the liver was the principal site of phagocytosis, removing over 50% of the radiolabeled parasites within 15 min of injection.