Acquired Resistance in Skin against Schistosoma Infection by Active Immunization.

摘要

The present work was concentrated upon revealing the mechanism of immunity to schistosome infection by histopathological, immunohistochemical, and in vitro experimental methods. These studies were made on the skin-acquired resistance of rhesus monkeys induced by active immunization with highly X-irradiated cercariae of Schistosoma japonicum and S. mansoni. The results indicate that cell-mediated immunity is the initiator of the immune mechanism, that T-cells produce eosinophil chemotactic lymphokine to attract eosinophils which play an important role in the schistosomulicidal reaction, and that the T-cells may act as helper cells during the T-B cell cooperation in the production of the functional humoral antibodies which have synergestic effects in the cytotoxic reaction. Based upon these findings, a new hypothesis for the mechanism of immunity to schistosome infection was proposed. A new method which may be used for a test of the state of immunity to schistosome infection in the host was devised. The reliability of this test method, if confirmed, will facilitate the extrapolation of the results of immunoprophylactic study obtained in experimental animals to human volunteers. (Author)