Related Experiment Videos
Host defense against experimental paracoccidioidomycosis
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|May 1, 1982
Summary
Athymic nu/nu mice developed lethal paracoccidioidomycosis after infection with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, while normal mice survived. This highlights the critical role of thymus-dependent immunity in controlling this fungal infection.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Mycology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic fungal infection endemic in Latin America.
- The role of T-cell mediated immunity in controlling Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish an experimental model for studying paracoccidioidomycosis in mice.
- To investigate the role of thymus-dependent immunity in host defense against P. brasiliensis.
Main Methods:
- BALB/c mice, both normal (+/+) and athymic (nu/nu), were infected with P. brasiliensis via intraperitoneal and intratracheal routes.
- Lesion development, survival rates, and inflammatory responses were monitored.
- Thymus transplantation was performed in nu/nu mice to assess its effect on resistance.
Main Results:
- Athymic nu/nu mice succumbed to progressive, lethal paracoccidioidomycosis, exhibiting disseminated lesions in the peritoneum, liver, spleen, and lungs.
- Lesions in nu/nu mice showed P. brasiliensis, inflammation, and various immune cells but lacked granuloma formation.
- Immunologically intact (+/+) mice survived the infection.
- Thymus transplantation significantly enhanced the resistance of nu/nu mice to P. brasiliensis.
Conclusions:
- The nu/nu mouse model is susceptible to progressive lethal paracoccidioidomycosis, making it suitable for studying the disease.
- Thymus-dependent immune mechanisms are crucial for mediating host defense and controlling P. brasiliensis infection.
- Understanding these immune mechanisms can inform therapeutic strategies for paracoccidioidomycosis.