Antibody-dependent cell-mediated damage to schistosomula in vitro

Two new aspects of cell-mediated responses to metazoan parasites are presented and it is provided that normal human peripheral blood leukocytes, in the presence of sera from patients infected with S. mansoni, can damage labelled schistosomula in the absence of added complement.

Abstract

ANTIBODY-DEPENDENT cell-mediated cytotoxic effects have been described in many in vitro models involving single-cell suspensions of mammalian or avian target cells, and could be important in the rejection of tumours and allografts1–6. Similar responses could also be involved in protective immunity against metazoan parasites, and evidence for cell-mediated effector mechanisms of various types has emerged from work on Nippostrongylus braziliensis7 and Litomosoides carinii8 in rats. Here we present two new aspects of cell-mediated responses to metazoan parasites. First, we have adapted the 51Cr-release technique to assay damage to schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Second, we provide evidence that normal human peripheral blood leukocytes, in the presence of sera from patients infected with S. mansoni, can damage labelled schistosomula in the absence of added complement.