Egg-induced
granuloma formation in murine
schistosomiasis mansoni results from vigorous anti-parasite reaction by activated T cells, macrophages, eosinophils, and fibroblasts. The present study suggests that strain-specific, autoimmune T-cell reactivity directed against host matrix
proteins might also contribute to granulomatous
hypersensitivity. T cells from infected C57B1/6, but not from CBA or BALB/c mice, proliferative in vitro in response to denatured
collagen. T cells from uninfected mice, previously immunized with soluble egg
antigen (SEA), did not respond in vitro to
collagen. Spleen cells from acutely infected mice, but not chronically infected or uninfected animals, formed
granulomas around
collagen-coupled
polyacrylamide beads in vitro. This response was blocked by anti-
collagen antibodies that had no inhibitory effect on in vitro
granuloma formation around SEA-coupled beads. In related in vivo studies,
granuloma formation was quantitated after iv injection of SEA-,
collagen-, or uncoated beads into normal or infected recipients. The mean diameter of lung
granulomas induced by
collagen-coupled beads in infected mice was significantly greater than the diameter of
granulomas around either
collagen beads in uninfected mice or uncoated beads in infected mice. these observations indicate that anti-
collagen responses develop spontaneously in Schistosoma-infected mice and suggest that such reactivity might play a secondary role in
granuloma formation and the pathogenesis of hepatic
fibrosis.