Chronic Giardia muris infection in anti-IgM-treated mice. I. Analysis of immunoglobulin and parasite-specific antibody in normal and immunoglobulin-deficient animals.

Abstract

To investigate the role of B cells and antibody in the immune response of mice to the murine intestinal parasite Giardia muris, we used mice treated from birth with rabbit anti-IgM antisera (aIgM). Such mice developed in serum and in gut secretions extreme Ig deficiency (IgM, IgA, and IgG) relative to control animals. The aIgM-treated mice showed no anti-G. muris antibody in serum or in gut wash material. Infections of G. muris in these mice were chronic, with a high load of parasite present in the small bowel, as reflected by prolonged cyst excretion (greater than 11 wk) and high trophozoite counts. In contrast, normal, untreated mice or NRS-treated animals developed anti-parasite IgA and IgG antibody in serum, demonstrated IgA antibody against the parasite in gut washings, and expelled the parasite within 9 wk. These effects of aIgM treatment on the murine response to primary infection with G. muris were demonstrated in two strains of mice: BALB/c and (C57BL/6 X C3H/He) F1. It was also observed that the response to G. muris infection in untreated animals was characterized by higher than normal total secretion of IgA into the gut and a concomitant increase in the serum polymeric IgA level. Mice treated with aIgM had a marked decrease of both monomeric and polymeric IgA in serum, and little detectable IgA in the intestinal lumen. These experiments provide the first demonstration that anti-IgM treatment suppresses a specific intestinal antibody response to antigen, and provide evidence that B cells and antibody play a role in the development of an effective response to a primary infection with G. muris in mice.

• Authors: D P Snider, J Gordon, M R McDermott, B J Underdown
• Journal: Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) (J Immunol) Vol. 134 Issue 6 Pg. 4153-62 (Jun 1985) ISSN: 0022-1767 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3872910 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
• Antigens, Protozoan
• Immunoglobulin A
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin M
• Immunoglobulins
• anti-IgM

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic (administration & dosage)
• Antibody Specificity
• Antigens, Protozoan (immunology)
• Cell Count
• Chronic Disease
• Female
• Giardia (immunology, physiology)
• Giardiasis (immunology, parasitology)
• Immunoglobulin A (analysis)
• Immunoglobulin G (analysis)
• Immunoglobulin M (administration & dosage)
• Immunoglobulins (analysis)
• Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes (parasitology)
• Intestines (immunology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Molecular Weight
• Plasma Cells (immunology)