IMMUNE-RESPONSE IN MICE IMMUNIZED WITH ACIDIC ANTIGENIC FRACTIONS FROM TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI CYTOSOL

The humoral and cellular immune responses as well as the resistance to infection with bloodstream forms of T. cruzi were studied in mice immunized with acidic antigenic fractions from parasite cytosol, F III and F IV, plus Bordetella pertussis as adjuvant. The immunization with F III induced positive ITH and DTH responses to homologous antigens. In mice immunized with F IV, the ITH was negative and four out of six animals presented positive DTH reactions. In both groups of mice the analysis of IgG aginst T. cruzi showed that the major isotype elicited was IgG1. Specific IgE was also detected in sera from F III immunized mice, thus confirming the presence of homocytothropic antibodies. The parasitemias reached by F III and F IV immunized mice after challenge were lower than those of the controls showing in this way a partial protection against die acute infection. The histological studies of heart and skeletal muscle performed two months after the infection revealed variable mononuclear infiltration in all infected mice despite immunization.