T-CELL SUBPOPULATIONS AND IL-6, IL-10, TNF-ALPHA AND SPECIFIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN LEVELS IN MURINE TRICHINOSIS

Immunologic parameters including lymphocyte phenotyping with the monoclonal antibodies anti-L3T4, anti-Ly-2, anti-Thyl.2, measurement of the cytokines IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and specific IgG's in serum samples, were assessed in Balb/c mice infected with the larvae (L1) of the nematode parasite Trichinella spiralis during an observation period of 175 days. L3T4 and Thyl.2 cells got activated reaching a peak on day 14 after the infection and remain at high levels during the observation period. Ly-2 cells increased three days post infection and remain at high levels until day 175. The level of serum IL-10 in infected animals was slightly elevated on day 3 to 8, whereas the level of IL-6 and TNF-alpha showed a high increase after day 7. A dramatic rise in IgM, IgG and IgG1 was observed twelve days after the infection, followed by a rise in IgG2a (on day 15) and IgG3 (on day 24) in tested mice. Serum IgA could not be detected in those animals.