Production of interferons during experimental African trypanosomiasis

African trypanosomiasis is associated with profound changes in the function of the immune system. In this study we find that alpha/beta and gamma interferon (IFN) are released into the serum of mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei. The parasite-induced rise in serum IFNs is associated with a detectable parasitaemia, but the serum IFN peak precedes the peak parasitaemia in some cases. Unlike other protozoan interferon inducers, no parasite-dependent IFN production was observed in the pre-patent period of infection; while the most virulent clone induced very high IFN levels, no clear difference in stimulation was noted in the first waves of semi-acute and chronic T. brucei clones. However, subsequent IFN augmentation more closely reflected the host parasite load and virulence of infection. The nature of the stimulatory parasite component is as yet unknown, and the parasite surface glycoprotein had no effect on serum IFN. Injection of large quantities of lethally irradiated, but intact organisms did not stimulate IFN production; however this treatment significantly impaired antibody responses to the heterologous antigen SRBC. This suggests that the more severe effects of an actual trypanosome infection are required for induction of IFN synthesis, and that the presence of measurable serum IFN is not a prerequisite for parasite-induced suppression of host antibody responses.