Kinetics of mucosal ileal gamma-interferon response during cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent neonatal mice

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) Vol. 82; no. 8; pp. 664 - 667
• Main Authors: KAPEL, N, BENHAMOU, Y, BURAUD, M, MAGNE, D, OPOLON, P, GOBERT, J.-G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 1996
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Biological and medical sciences; Cryptosporidiosis - blood; Cryptosporidiosis - immunology; Cryptosporidiosis - parasitology; Cryptosporidium parvum - growth & development; Cryptosporidium parvum - immunology; Cryptosporidium parvum - isolation & purification; Experimental protozoal diseases and models; Humans; Ileum - immunology; Immunocompetence; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma - immunology; Intestinal Mucosa - immunology; Kinetics; Medical sciences; Mice; Parasitic diseases; Protozoal diseases; Time Factors; Protozoa; Animal model; Protozoal disease; Rodentia; Parasite; Parasitosis; Ileum; Infection; Cryptosporidiosis; Vertebrata; Local immunity; Mammalia; Cryptosporidium parvum; Mouse; Newborn animal; Pathogenic; Intestinal disease; Sporozoa; Gamma interferon
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s004360050182

The kinetics of serum and ileal interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) content were determined during recovery from cryptosporidiosis in NMRI suckling mice. A total of 60 mice aged 4 days were inoculated by intragastric gavage with 10(4) cryptosporidia (n = 30) or phosphate-buffered saline (n = 30). Six animals per group were killed on days 0, 3, 6, 9 and 13 postinoculation. Blood samples and ileum were collected. Experimental infection was followed by a rise in parasite load in the ileum starting on day 3 postinfection, which peaked at day 6 postinoculation. Ileal IFN-gamma levels increased rapidly in parasitized mice from day 3 to day 6, then fell rapidly. These levels were significantly higher than the control values (day 3 P < 0.05, days 6 and 9 P < 0.001). IFN-gamma secretion began before parasite excretion, but the curves of these two parameters correlated positively. Recovery from cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent neonatal mice is thus associated with an early and marked increase in ileal IFN-gamma content.