Lung inflammation in immunity to Schistosoma mansoni
Smith, M.A.; Clegg, J.A.; Kusel, J.R.; Webbe, G.
Experientia 31(5): 595-597
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0014-4754 PMID: 1095387 Document Number: 84490
Three days after receiving 250 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae, mice were given an intracardiac injection of 4 X 109 formalin-killed Escherichia coli and the subsequent lung inflammation produced a marked depression in lung recovery at day 5, equivalent to 81% protection. Perfusion 6 weeks later showed that most of the infection had been destroyed. A similar protective effect was seen in mice and with other foreign antigen (heat aggregated human serum and spider crab haemocyanin). Antibody raised by vaccination of hamsters with crude schistosome material can mediate sequestration of inflammatory cells in the lungs in response to migrating schistosomula but the cells are unable to destroy the schistosomes. Intravascular administration of several foreign antigens, however, stimulates sequestration of inflammatory cells in the lungs and apparently also causes some kind of non-specific activation of the cells enabling them to damage schistosomula.