The Effect of Alcohol on Natural and Acquired Immunity of Mice to Infection with Trichinella spiralis

Oral infection of mice with Trichinella spiralis has been shown to induce a potentiation of the delayed hypersensitive (DTH) response to BCG. The present investigation was initiated to determine whether nematode-induced potentiation of DTH influenced the induction and progression of a transplantable mouse tumor. B6D2F1/J mice were orally infected with 200 T. spiralis larvae 176 days preceding subcutaneous administration of 5 × 10⁵ viable B-16 melanoma cells. The antineoplastic effects of long-term nematode infection were assessed by daily observation of the animals monitoring development and progression of neoplastic nodules. Control mice developed tumors by day 28 following tumor challenge, while none of the corresponding T. spiralis-infected animals demonstrated any signs of neoplasia. All control mice died within 60 days, while none of the nematode-infected animals developed detectable neoplasms. This phenomenon suggested that the presence of well-established larval cysts was capable of stimulating host antineoplastic activity.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antineoplastic Effects of Long-Term Trichinella spiralis Infection on B-16 Melanoma

Molinari

Ebersole

1977

“…The strain of T. spiralis and procedures for isolation and oral infection with this nematode have been previously described [9]. BCG (American Type Culture Collection No.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Infection with Trichinella spiralis and BCG on Thymic Histology

Molinari¹,

Cypess²,

Appel³

1975

The histology of mouse thymic tissue was examined following infection with Trichinella spiralis and/or BCG. 1CR/CD-1 mice were orally infected with 200 T. spiralis 56 days preceding intravenous administration of 4 × 10⁶ viable BCG. Following assessment of delayed hypersensitive foot pad reactions to BCG, the mice were bled and sacrificed. The thymus was removed from each animal, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin and cut in 4 μm sections. Examination of serial sections indicated that T. spiralis and T. spiralis-BCG infections induced distinct anatomical changes within the thymic cortex and medulla, which may be related to previously described functional alterations of the immune system.

“…), 8-10 weeks of age were employed in this study. T. spiralis larvae were harvested and prepared using a modification of the pcpsin-HCI method originally described by Larsh and Kent [5], This method of preparing ne matode larvae for infection has repeatedly been shown to yield 7,500-10,000 larvae per mouse, with larval viability being greater than 98°/o. These suspensions were adjusted to the appropriate con centrations, and 50, 100, 200, 300, or 400 larvae were then administered orally in a 0.2 ml volume.…”

Section: A Nimalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dose Dependence of Trichinella Spiralis-Induced Immunopotentiation

Blackwood¹,

Molinari²

1981

Previous reports studying the immunological and histopathological sequelae following infection with Trichinella spiralis indicated that this nematode can affect the host’s immune capabilities to heterologous antigens. The present investigation was aimed at determining the dose of T. spiralis larvae required for development of maximum delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) against heat-killed bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Mice were injected intraperitoneally with 4 × 10⁶ bacteria 28 days after oral intubation with 0, 50, 100, 200, 300 or 400 viable T. spiralis larvae. Groups were tested in vivo for DTH 28 days after administration of nonviable BCG by the footpad swelling assay. Prior infection with 200 nematode larvae resulted in 34 of 42 animals (81%) developing positive 24-hour DTH reactions. When these data were compared to those seen in the other experimental and control groups, the 200 larval dose appeared to effect maximal immunopotentiation in this system.