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Effect of carrageenan on the resistance of congenitally athymic nude and normal BALB/c mice to infective larvae ofBrugia malayi

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Abstract

Resistance of BALB/c mice to infective thirdstage larvae (L3) of the human filarial parasiteBrugia malayi is thymus-dependent, although the actual, effector mechanisms that mediate larval killing are unknown. The present study examined the effect of carrageenan (CGN) on the mechanisms of resistance toB. malayi infection in heterozygous (nu/+) and nude (nu/nu) mice. Mice were treated with CGN at a single dose of 20 or 200 mg/kg and were inoculated intraperitoneally 1 day later with 100 L3. The results showed a dose-dependent increase in the numbers of L4 and L5 that were recovered from nu/+ and nu/nu mice. CGN treatment also enhanced the recovery of mature adult worms from nu/nu mice and appeared to abolish partially the dichotomy of resistance between the usually more susceptible male and the more resistant female nu/nu mouse. Microfilariae were found in the peripheral blood and the peritoneal cavity of CGN-treated male and female nu/nu mice and in the peritoneal cavity of male but not female nu/+ mice. Fewer larval granulomas were recovered from the peritoneal cavity of treated mice. CGN-treated, parasitized nu/+ and nu/nu mice showed high titers of IgM and IgG antibodies. An experimental compound, CGP 20376, showed 100% larvicidal activity following the administration of a single dose of 20mg/kg to CGN-treated mice. From this study, we conclude that macrophages alone or in conjunction with other cells are actively involved in the resistance of mice toB. malayi L3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 33612, Tampa, FL, USA

    U. R. Rao, A. C. Vickery & B. H. Kwa

  2. Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL, USA

    J. K. Nayar

  3. Ciba-Geigy Limited and Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland

    D. Subrahmanyam

Authors
  1. U. R. Rao
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  2. A. C. Vickery
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  3. B. H. Kwa
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  4. J. K. Nayar
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  5. D. Subrahmanyam
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Additional information

Supported by research grant AI 20052 from the, NIAID (NIH). The senior author (U.R.R.) was supported by the filariasis component of the UNDP/World Bank/WHO program (project 870382). The results were presented in part at the 39th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, New Orleans, November 4–8, 1990

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Rao, U.R., Vickery, A.C., Kwa, B.H. et al. Effect of carrageenan on the resistance of congenitally athymic nude and normal BALB/c mice to infective larvae ofBrugia malayi . Parasitol Res 78, 235–240 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931732

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00931732

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