Lymphoid activity was studied in spleen and lymph node cells from Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice. Blast transformation in each lymphocyte class was assessed by dual parameter analysis for size and surface markers by both FACS and conventional immunofluorescence, while proliferative activity was measured by tritiated thymidine uptake, autoradiography, and analysis of DNA content in single cells. Acute infection results in rapid blast transformation and proliferative activity of all three lymphocyte classes (Ig+, L3T4+, and Lyt 2+). At 2 weeks of infection most cells in these organs are enlarged and more than half are dividing. By 2 and 6 months after infection (chronic phase of resistant strains), large numbers of activated B lymphocytes and, to a lesser extent, of Lyt 2+ T cells are still detected. Similar results were obtained in C57BL/6 (resistant) and C3H/HeJ (susceptible) mouse strains. The implications of this massive polyclonal lymphocyte response to the parasite for the physiopathology of acute and chronic infection are discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations鈥揷itations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.