CELL-MEDIATED-IMMUNITY IN CHAGAS-DISEASE - ALTERATIONS INDUCED BY TREATMENT WITH A TRYPANOCIDAL DRUG (NIFURTIMOX)

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 30  (3) , 434-438
Abstract
Peripheral leukocyte migration inhibition (LMI) with Trypanosoma cruzi-specific antigens, measured as a migration index (MI), was studied in chronic Chagas'' disease patients. The MI of untreated patients with polymerized antigens from culture forms (epimastigotes) of T. cruzi was significantly lower than that of controls. When chronic Chagas'' patients were treated with nifurtimox, 10 mg/kg per day for 2 mo., the MI was not different from control values. Treated and untreated patients had normal T[thymus derived]- and B[bone marrow derived]-lymphocyte markers, measured by the ability to form rosettes either with sheep erythrocytes (E-RFC) or with sheep erythrocytes-antibody-complement (EAC-RFC). The number of lymphocytes bearing surface membrane Ig [immunoglobulin] (SMIg) was the same as that of controls. Non-specific functional assays, such as PHA[phytohemagglutinin]-induced blastogenesis and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) to sensitized chicken erythrocytes, were also normal in treated and untreated patients. Nifurtimox produced a particular effect on cell-mediated immunity detectable using LMI.