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Non-specific immunosuppression in experimental cryptococcosis in rats.
Mycopathologia
|May 1, 1986
Summary
Cryptococcus neoformans infection in rats suppresses immune responses to unrelated antigens like human serum albumin (HSA). Spleen cells from infected rats transferred this suppressed immunity, indicating a role for splenic cells in immune modulation.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) is a critical immune response.
- Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen.
- Infections can modulate host immune responses to unrelated antigens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of C. neoformans infection on DTH response to human serum albumin (HSA) in rats.
- To determine if spleen cells from infected rats can transfer this suppressed immune response.
Main Methods:
- Rats were infected with viable C. neoformans cells.
- Infected and non-infected rats were immunized with HSA.
- DTH response to HSA was measured.
- Spleen mononuclear cells from suppressed rats were transferred to normal syngeneic recipients.
Main Results:
- The DTH response to HSA was significantly diminished in C. neoformans-infected rats compared to non-infected controls (p < 0.05).
- Transfer of spleen mononuclear cells from suppressed rats to normal recipients also suppressed the DTH response (p < 0.02).
Conclusions:
- C. neoformans infection induces a significant suppression of the DTH response to unrelated antigens.
- Spleen mononuclear cells play a role in mediating this antigen-specific suppression.
- This suggests a mechanism of immune modulation by C. neoformans infection.