IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF CBA MICE TO P-YOELII .2. PASSIVE TRANSFER OF IMMUNITY WITH SERUM AND CELLS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 34  (1) , 157-165
Abstract
CBA mice infected with the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei yoelii (P. .gamma.oelii) develope a self-resolving infection lasting 15-18 days; on recovery from a primary infection they are immune to further infection. Cell and serum transfers from immune to non-immune mice were used to analyze the mechanism of resistance. Whereas serum from mice which had recovered from a single infection was ineffective in transferring immunity, hyperimmune serum (from mice repeatedly challenged with P. yoelii) protected against challenge inocula of 104 and 5 .times. 104 but was ineffective against higher inocula (105). Doses of serum which completely protected intact mice were ineffective when administered to T[thymus-derived]-cell deprived recipients. The injection of spleen cells from recovered mice conferred immunity on normal and T cell deprived mice. Pretreatment of immune cell donors with cyclophosphamide reduced the ability of spleen cells to transfer immunity. Treatment of the immune cells with an anti-Thy 1 antiserum and complement in vitro did not abrogate their protective effect. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to the effector mechanisms which might operate in murine malaria.