Further studies on genetic variation of hepatosplenic disease and modulation in murine schistosomiasis mansoni

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Abstract
The influence of genetic factors on the modulation of hepatosplenomegaly, portal venous pressure and granuloma size in chronic murine schistosomiasis mansoni was studied. Experiments with congenic mice confirmed previous observations that after 8 wk of infection these disease manifestations are influenced by non-H-2 genes. During chronic infection (20 wk compared to 8 wk of infection), hepatosplenomegaly was minimally altered. Portal venous pressure increased in 129/J and BALB/cJ mice, but did not change in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J and decreased in CBA/CaJ mice. Simultaneous measurements of granuloma size delineated 2 groups: decrease of > 40%-C57BL/6J, DBA/2J and CBA/CaJ strains and decrease of .ltoreq. 20%-129/J, BALB/cJ and C3H/HeJ mice. There was no consistent correlation between the magnitude or direction of alterations in portal pressure and granuloma size among the various strains studied. These alterations were independent of changes in parasite burdern (adult worms or hepatic eggs). This amelioration of disease (modulation) was influenced by a small number of non-H-2 genes.