Parasite specific energy in human filariasis; insights after analysis of parasite antigen-driven lymphokine production

Nutman, T B and Kumaraswami, V and Ottesen, E A (1987) Parasite specific energy in human filariasis; insights after analysis of parasite antigen-driven lymphokine production. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 79 (5). pp. 1516-1523. ISSN Print: 0021-9738, Online: 1558-8238

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Abstract

The antigen-specific immune unresponsiveness seen in bancroftian filariasis was studied by examining lymphokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or PBMC subpopulations from 10 patients with asymptomatic microfilaremia, 13 patients with elephantiasis and 6 normal North Americans. In each group of patients, the kinetics of the lymphokine response and the response to mitogens and nonparasite antigens did not differ significantly. In marked contrast, when antigeninduced lymphokine production was examined, most patients with microfilaremia were unable to produce either interleukin 2 (IL- 2) or y-interferon (i.e., were nonresponders), and the few who could (hyporesponders, generally with quite low microfilaremia levels) did so at levels significantly less than those of patients with elephantiasis, all of whom showed strong responses to parasite antigen. Removal of neither adherent cells or T8+ cells affected the parasite-specific anergy seen in those with microfilaremia, suggesting a state of T cell tolerance to the parasite in patients with this most common clinical manifestation of bancroftian filariasis.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Tuberculosis > Laboratory Research > Immunological
Divisions:	Basic Science Research > Immunology
Depositing User:	Dr. Rathinasabapati R
Date Deposited:	21 Aug 2013 10:20
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2016 10:30
URI:	http://eprints.nirt.res.in/id/eprint/227

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