Murine spleen and lymph node cellular composition and function during cyclophosphamide and splenectomy induced resistance to Toxoplasma gondii

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Abstract
Murine toxoplasmosis caused by a low virulence, cyst-forming strain of Toxoplasma gondii (Pe strain) is characterized by splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, decreased delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), and the presence of toxoplasma cysts in brain tissue. Cyclophosphamide (CY) in a single dose of 100 mg kg injected 3 days before infection, or splenectomy 3 weeks before infection, augmented DTH and decreased the number of toxoplasma brain cysts. CY-induced augmentation of resistance during the first 3 weeks of murine toxoplasmosis was associated with: (1) an increase in mononuclear phagocytes and a decrease in T lymphocytes (including Lyt2+ cells) in spleens and lymph nodes; (2)suppressed toxoplasma antigen induced proliferation of cultured spleen cells; (3) augmentation of antigen induced proliferation of cultured lymph node cells; and (4) low levels of interferon-.gamma. production in both spleen and lymph node cultures. The best correlate of the enhanced in-vivo effects of CY was proliferation of nylon wool-purified lymph node cells to toxoplasma antigen. The presence of Lyt2+ cells in lymph nodes of toxoplasma infected mice inhibited maximal proliferation.

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