Immunopathology of human schistosomiasis mansoni: I. Immunomodulatory influences on T cell function

Abstract

SUMMARYCell mediated immune response was studied in patients with recent and chronic Schistosoma mansoni infection. Precultured peripheral mononuclear cells showed significantly higher responses to S. mansoni adult worm antigen (SAWA) when com¬ pared to fresh cell preparations. The addition of each patient serum to the precul¬ tured cells reactions to SAWA or recall antigens demonstrated a strong inhibitory serum action, which was also noted on allogeneic cells derived from healthy subjects. The CD4 subset was the main responding cell to SAWA being this reactivity highly suppressed by the presence of the monocyte macrophage accessory cells. We stressed the simultaneous inhibitory action of humoral and cellular factors on the specific cell response to S. mansoni.

The immunopathology of human schistosomiasis-III: immunoglobulin isotype profiles and response to praziquantel

“…The role of the cellular and humoral immune response against Schistosoma mansoni infection has been well characterized by several laboratories (Colley et al 1977, Mendlovic et al 1987, Aldrey et al 1988, Benarroch et al 1988, Butterworth et al 1988. Hypergammaglobulinemia is a common feature of this response, with consistently elevated total serum IgG (mainly IgG 1 and IgG 4 ) and IgE concentrations in untreated, chronically infected individuals (Iskander et al 1981, Jassim et al 1987, Evengard et al 1988, Boctor & Peter 1990).…”

“…As part of an ongoing research protocol on the immunopathology of S. mansoni (Aldrey et al 1988, Benarroch et al 1988, Alarcón de Noya et al 1992, Noya et al 1995a, we present herein the results of an immunoglobulin isotype level quantitation study undertaken in Venezuelan patients chronically infected with S. mansoni. Our results suggest a possible relationship between response to PZQ and a given isotype profile.…”