Treatment of rats with heat killed cells (HKC) of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii induces cellular activation in spleen and lymphatic nodes.

BARONETTI JL; CHIAPELLO L S; GARRO AP; MASIH DT

COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2011 vol. 34 p. 327 - 327

0147-9571

ur previous studies showed that the subcutaneous pretreatment of rats with heat killed cells of Cryptococcus neoformans (HKC) emulsified in complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) promotes protection against an intraperitoneal challenge with viable C. neoformans. In this model, an appropriate activation of adherent peritoneal cells after antigenic treatment is very important for the control of the infection. Here, we investigated the immune response developed in spleen and lymphatic nodes as a result of treatment with HKC-CFA, which might also contribute in the protective phenomenon of this treatment against cryptococcal infection. The results show that, compared with adjuvant alone, rats which received treatment with HKC-CFA presented a greater activation of adherent splenic cells, with up-regulation of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) and CD86 expression and secretion of anticryptococcal metabolites. Furthermore, this treatment also induced an increase in the blastogenic r