绵羊红细胞引起小鼠IgM反应与血中甲状腺激素含量的关系

甲状腺激素对免疫的影响已有一些报道,而某些甲状腺疾病也存在着免疫调节的异常,表明免疫反应可影响甲状腺功能。为弄清甲状腺激素与免疫反应之间的相互关系,我们研究了不同甲状腺机能状态小鼠免疫反应的差异以及这种免疫反应对血中甲状腺激素含量的反馈性影响,并对免疫反应中IgM的生成量与血中T_3、T_4含量进行相关分析,以探索甲状腺激素与免疫反应间的相互关系。 1 材料与方法 1.1试剂L-甲状腺素钠盐(L-T_4,中国科学院生物研究所);丙基硫氧嘧啶(PTU,50mg/片,西德);T_3、T_4放射免疫分析测定盒(北方免疫试剂研究所)。     

有氧和抗阻运动对SAMP8小鼠免疫机能的影响

目的 探讨有氧运动和抗阻运动两种运动方式对快速衰老小鼠(SAMP8小鼠)免疫机能的影响。方法 24只28周龄雄性SAMP8小鼠分为模型组、有氧运动组、抗阻运动组，每组8只；另设8只同龄正常老化SAMR1小鼠作对照组。有氧运动组经匀速水平运动跑台训练8周，有氧运动组经递增负重爬梯运动训练8周。每两周测定相对抓力、转棒测试时间。测定免疫器官指数，观察免疫器官组织形态学，ELISA法检测血清IL2浓度，免疫组织化学观测脾IL2Rα蛋白表达，RT-qPCR法检测脾IL2、IL2Rα、IL2Rβ、IL2Rγ基因表达水平。结果 与对照组相比，模型组相对抓力、转棒测试时间均显著下降(P<0.0001);胸腺指数、脾指数均显著下降(P<0.001);免疫器官衰老明显；血清IL2浓度显著降低(P<0.0001);脾IL2Rα蛋白阳性率显著降低(P<0.001);脾IL2、IL2Rα、IL2Rβ、IL2Rγ基因表达显著下降(P<0.01)。经8周有氧运动和抗阻运动干预后，与模型组相比，有氧运动组和抗阻运动组相对抓力、转棒测试时间均显著升高(P<0.05),抗阻运动组相对...     

小脑-下丘脑投射在小脑顶核调节淋巴细胞数量与功能中的介导作用

目的:探讨小脑顶核对淋巴细胞功能的调节作用及其作用途径。方法:用海人酸(KA)损毁大鼠双侧小脑顶核,术后第8d用血细胞计数法和酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)分别检测动物外周血中淋巴细胞数和血清中抗绵羊红细胞(SRBC)特异性IgM抗体水平。用电损毁小脑上脚交叉中顶核投射至下丘脑的神经纤维,检测动物淋巴细胞数和抗SRBC特异性IgM抗体水平的变化。结果:KA注入双侧小脑顶核后第8d,在Nissl染色的小脑切片,呈现双侧顶核内神经元胞体破坏。作为对照,在生理盐水注入顶核的动物脑片上,可见正常的Nissl小体。小脑顶核损毁后第8d,动物外周血中淋巴细胞数占白细胞总数的百分比以及血清中抗SRBC特异性IgM抗体水平均明显高于顶核注射生理盐水的对照动物。电损毁小脑上脚交叉处顶核投射至下丘脑的神经纤维后第8d,外周血中淋巴细胞的百分比及抗SRBC特异性IgM抗体水平均明显高于假损毁小脑上脚交叉的对照动物。结论:小脑顶核的神经元胞体损毁导致淋巴细胞功能增强,小脑顶核投射至下丘脑的神经纤维损毁同样引起淋巴细胞功能增强,这些结果提示小脑顶核至下丘脑的神经投射参与介导小脑顶核对淋巴细胞功能的调节作用。     

HIV结构蛋白与痘苗病毒共表达产物的免疫原性研究

目的 将艾滋病病毒外膜蛋白(env)与干扰素(IFNα-2b)融合基因表达的融合蛋白作为免疫原免疫小鼠,观察小鼠的免疫功能状态和细胞免疫应答.方法 将IFNα-2b基因片段插入到env基因的下游,经脂质体转染,筛选重组痘苗病毒,经SDS-PAGE和Western blot鉴定表达产物.用重组病毒vJ1 6env/IFNα-2b免疫小鼠,以生理盐水和野生型痘苗病毒作为对照,检测小鼠脾淋巴细胞对ConA、LPS及IgG的反应性;用流式细胞仪测定小鼠脾淋巴细胞CD4 、CD8T细胞计数与CTL.结果 与对照组比较,实验组脾淋巴细胞对ConA、LPS及IgG的反应性显著增高(P＜0.05);CD4T淋巴细胞计数和CTL活性也显著增高(P＜0.05);CD8T淋巴细胞计数呈增高趋势,但未达到显著意义的程度.结论 重组痘苗病毒v J16env/IFNα-2b能增强小鼠的免疫功能和诱导细胞免疫.     

太子参茎叶多糖对免疫抑制小鼠免疫功能的影响

本试验旨在研究太子参茎叶多糖(RPSLP)对环磷酰胺(CY)所致免疫抑制小鼠免疫功能的影响。将100只小鼠随机分组,腹腔注射CY复制免疫抑制小鼠模型,模型小鼠经RPSLP灌胃后,制备脾淋巴细胞悬液,测定脾淋巴细胞的增殖;收集血清,检测相关免疫指标。结果显示,与CY模型组相比,RPSLP小鼠脾脏指数极显著降低(P0.01),胸腺指数、吞噬指数α、脾细胞增殖指数SI、免疫球蛋白(IgA、IgG、IgM)、补体(C3、C4)和细胞因子(IL-2、IL-4、IL-6、IFN-γ)含量均不同程度升高(P0.05或P0.01)。以上结果提示RPSLP能够提高CY所致免疫抑制小鼠的免疫功能。     

人工合成胸腺肽α1对正常小鼠和免疫抑制荷瘤小鼠的免疫调节作用

目的:本研究通过对正常小鼠和免疫抑制荷瘤小鼠皮下注射人工合成胸腺肽α1 (sTα1).方法:检测各组小鼠淋巴细胞亚群比率、T淋巴细胞增殖数量和脾细胞细胞因子的表达水平三个指标,来判定sTα1对小鼠免疫功能的影响.结果:sTα1可提高小鼠外周血CD4+T细胞比率、降低CD8+T细胞比率,使CD4+/CD8+的T细胞比率增加.sTα1能明显加强正常小鼠、环丙酰胺(CTX)免疫抑制小鼠和荷瘤+CTX免疫抑制小鼠的脾淋巴细胞的增殖(P＜0.5),明显促进正常小鼠及各免疫抑制组小鼠脾细胞细胞因子mIL-2和mIFNγ释放(P＜0.5).结论:sTα1可促进T细胞的快速成熟,活化T细胞,纠正了荷瘤和化疗药物产生的免疫抑制作用,有效刺激免疫系统,促进Th1型细胞免疫反应.     

石韦对小鼠免疫功能及异基因皮片移植排斥的抑制作用

目的 研究石韦对小鼠免疫功能和同种异基因皮片移植的影响.方法 分别给小鼠灌胃高、中、低3个剂量石韦水煎液,研究其对正常小鼠和由左旋咪唑引起的免疫亢奋模型小鼠脾脏重量指数、巨噬细胞的吞噬活性、淋巴细胞转化、IgM分泌量的影响;观察石韦对小鼠同种异基因皮片移植的影响.结果 石韦可抑制正常小鼠巨噬细胞吞噬活性、T淋巴细胞转化率和IgM的分泌量(P＜0.05).3个剂量的石韦均可调节免疫亢奋小鼠脾脏重量指数、巨噬细胞吞噬活性、T淋巴细胞转化率恢复至正常水平,中剂量组可以显著降低IgM的分泌量至正常水平.小鼠移植皮片的存活时间:石韦低剂量组为(16.13±1.13)d,中剂量组为(15.62±1.01)d,高剂量组为(14.89±2.01)d,显著长于对照组的(9.75±0.89)d.结论 石韦可抑制正常小鼠的免疫功能,调节免疫亢奋小鼠免疫功能恢复至正常水平,减轻机体对同种异基因皮片移植的排斥反应.     

姜黄素调节小鼠免疫功能的实验研究

目的探讨姜黄素对小鼠免疫功能的调节作用及其可能机制.方法通过噻唑蓝(MTT)比色法研究姜黄素对小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖及小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬功能的影响;用Western blot法检测脾淋巴细胞胞核NF-κB p65蛋白的表达.结果姜黄素能够增加小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬功能;小剂量姜黄素能够增加小鼠脾淋巴细胞的增殖;大剂量姜黄素能够抑制小鼠脾淋巴细胞的增殖;姜黄素能够抑制脾淋巴细胞胞核NF-κB p65蛋白的表达.结论姜黄素具有调节机体免疫功能的作用,且与剂量相关;可能的机制与抑制NF-κB的活性有关.     

QHS法检测抗体的产生及其与PFC法的比较

空斑技术(plaque forming cell-PFC)于1963年由杰尼氏(Jerne)介绍问世以来,已广泛用于抗体形成细胞的检测。PFC测定不仅可作为机体免疫状态的指标,而且也可采用进行细胞动力学的观察。该法特点是反应特异性高。检测能力强并可直观,特别适用于免疫学的基础研究,它是利用经SRBC免疫的小鼠脾脏制成脾细胞悬液,在半固体凝胶介质中与靶细胞SRBC混合,在补体参加下使靶细胞溶解,形成肉眼可     

驱虫斑鸠菊注射液治疗白癜风的作用机制研究

探讨驱虫斑鸠菊(VW)注射液治疗白癜风的作用机制。进行以下实验探讨VW对小鼠免疫功能的影响:淋巴细胞转化试验测定小鼠脾T、B细胞增殖活性;脾细胞介导羊红细胞定量溶血分光光度法测定B细胞生成抗体活性,流式细胞法测定B细胞上CD19表达活性;迟发型超敏反应(DTH)试验测定T细胞活性、眼3H演-TdR掺入法测定T细胞分泌IL-2活性等。用酶学方法研究VW对小鼠体内酪氨酸酶的作用。用半定量逆转录聚合酶链反应技术检测酪氨酸酶基因表达活性。结果表明,VW可以明显抑制小鼠体内T、B细胞的增殖反应(P<0.01);对绵羊红细胞(SRBC)诱导的正常小鼠脾脏抗体形成细胞活性、CD19B细胞亚类表达、小鼠DTH反应和T细胞分泌IL-2活性也具有明显的抑制作用,这些抑制作用与药物浓度有一定的剂量效应关系。VW还可以提高小鼠血清酪氨酸酶活性,增强酪氨酸酶基因的表达。以上结果说明,VW可抑制小鼠免疫功能,可以从转录水平增强酪氨酸酶活性,进而促进黑素合成。     

Effects of antigen-feeding on intestinal and systemic immune responses. III. Antigen-specific serum-mediated suppression of humoral antibody responses after antigen feeding.

Feeding mice sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) caused a significant decrease in splenic IgM antibody responses to SRBC given ip. Reduced IgM responses were due to a suppressor factor in the serum of fed mice rather than due to a lack of IgM antibody-forming cell precursors or to the presence of suppressor T cells. Although feeding initially primed mice to produce greater IgA and IgG anti-SRBC responses after SRBC challenge, the initial primed state was transitory. Mice fed SRBC for longer than 8 weeks had significantly reduced splenic IgG and IgA responses after SRBC challenge.Suppression of IgM responses by serum from fed mice was antigen-specific and not H-2 restricted. Serum from fed mice inhibited the induction of IgM anti-SRBC responses but did not block the expression of already established responses. The size of the suppressor factor and the ability to remove suppressor activity from serum by anti-mouse immunoglobulin suggested that suppression was mediated by antibody. However, the determinants against which the antibody was directed appeared to differ among batches of suppressor sera. Suppressor activity did not appear to be mediated by immune complexes, or soluble antigen. Oral feeding of antigen can have a marked influence on host systemic immune responses when the antigen used for feeding is subsequently administered parenterally. Thus, oral antigen administration may provide a way for specifically manipulating systemic immune responses in vivo. In addition, antigen-feeding may provide a means for producing transferable factors that suppress humoral antibody responses.     

Murine bone marrow IgA responses to orally administered sheep erythrocytes

Specific immunization protocols have been established for the induction of murine bone marrow IgA responses to the T cell-dependent (TD) antigen sheep red blood cells (SRBC). Systemic immunization, either i.p. or i.v., followed by a second injection, induced splenic IgM and IgG responses and a bone marrow IgM response. No significant IgA responses were observed in either lymphoid tissue compartment. Oral immunization with SRBC by gastric intubation for 2 days, followed 1 wk later by an i.p. injection of SRBC resulted in a splenic IgA plaque-forming cell (PFC) response, but did not elicit a bone marrow IgA response. Repeated daily gastric intubation of SRBC to C3H/HeN and C3H/HeJ mice led to the previously reported pattern of systemic unresponsiveness in C3H/HeN mice and good anamnestic type IgM, IgG, and IgA splenic anti-SRBC PFC responses in the C3H/HeJ strain upon parenteral challenge. Oral administration of SRBC for 14 days to C3H/HeN mice, followed by systemic SRBC challenge, resulted in diminished splenic PFC responses of all isotypes, whereas gastric intubation of SRBC for 28 days led to complete systemic unresponsiveness to antigen in C3H/HeN mice. Interestingly, the repeated oral administration of SRBC resulted in significant bone marrow IgA PFC responses upon i.p. challenge in both C3H/HeN and C3H/HeJ mouse strains. The bone marrow IgA responses were clearly dependent upon chronic oral exposure to SRBC, because gastric intubation with SRBC for 2 consecutive days/wk for 10 wk also induced bone marrow and splenic IgA anti-SRBC PFC responses in C3H/HeN mice. These results suggest that memory B cells reside in the bone marrow of orally immunized mice and can yield anamnestic-type responses to challenge with the inducing antigen. The memory cells may arise in the Peyer's patches of the gut and migrate to the bone marrow. The possibility that the bone marrow is a component of the common mucosal immune system in mammals is suggested by this study.     

Serologic and immunochemical characterization of HLA-A9 xenoantisera

There was a pronounced quantitative difference between the helper activities of B6C3F1 splenic T cells sensitized with unmodified vs modified antigens of SRBC. Modified SRBC induced the greater helper activity which was measured by the magnitude of an anti-TNP response (IgM and IgG) elicited in vivo by virgin B lymphocytes. Antigen modification was produced by conjugating SRBC with the hapten or simply by incubating SRBC in cacodylate buffer. There were restrictions with respect to both erythrocyte species and mouse strains for this differential priming to occur. The relatively poor performance of SRBC-primed T lymphocytes was apparently not due to suppressor T cells, but rather to activation of only one of two identified T cell subpopulations required for full helper activity. Unmodified SRBC activated a subpopulation of "helper" cells characterized as sensitive to elimination by ATS and long-lived after ATx, but failed to activate in B6C3F1 mice a second subpopulation of "amplifier" cells resistant to elimination by ATS and short-lived after ATx. In contrast, modified SRBC activated both helper and amplifier cells. Under appropriate conditions these subsets of T cells were strongly synergistic in promoting antihapten antibody formation especially of the IgG class. The involvement of two distinct types of T lymphocytes in the positive regulation of antibody responses raises interesting and novel questions concerning the sequence of events in the triggering of B cells and the subsequent development of the response.     

戴氏虫草菌丝体水提物对放射损伤小鼠体液免疫的作用

为了研究戴氏虫草菌丝体水提物对γ射线辐射损伤小鼠的脾细胞产生抗羊红细胞抗体、血清溶血素水平、淋巴细胞增殖等的影响,以＾６０Ｃｏ γ射线放射损伤小鼠为动物模型,采用脾细胞ＳＲＢＣ溶血反应（ＱＨＳ）比色法测定脾细胞产生抗羊红细胞抗体,溶血素测定（ＨＣ５０）比色法测定血清溶血素水平,ＭＴＴ比色法测定淋巴细胞增殖。结果表明在一定剂量条件下,戴氏虫草菌丝体水提物可以恢复γ射线辐射损伤小鼠脾细胞产生抗ＳＲＢＣ抗体的能力和血清溶血素的水平,同时也能够恢复脾Ｂ淋巴细胞的增殖能力和脾淋巴细胞数目。因此我们初步认为戴氏虫草菌丝体水提物对放射损伤小鼠体液免疫具有保护作用。     

Role of T Cells in the Mitogen-Induced Proliferation and Polyclonal Antibody Response of Murine B Cells

The effect of thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) on the responsiveness of bone marrow-derived lymphocytes (B cells) to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was determined in in vitro experiments. Radiation resistant splenic T cells obtained from euthymic nu/+ mice increased the number of proliferating cells in the cultures of splenic B cells from athymic nu/nu mice even in a nonstimulated state. The radiation resistant T cells augmented significantly the responsiveness of B cells to LPS, as determined by an increase in proliferating cells and polyclonally induced anti-sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) IgM hemolysin plaque-forming cells (PFC). Addition of the T cells to B cell cultures not only augmented the responsiveness of B cells to suboptimal doses of LPS but also enabled B cells to respond to supraoptimal doses of LPS. As is well documented, the radiation resistant T cells were unable to induce the generation of anti-SRBC PFC in B cell cultures, unless the cultures were simultaneously stimulated with SRBC. Colcemid, a specific inhibitor of cell mitosis, blocked almost completely the exponential generation of anti-SRBC PFC in B cell cultures responding to SRBC with the aid of radiation resistant T cells. In contrast, colcemid did not affect the exponential generation of anti-SRBC PFC of a polyclonal nature in B cell cultures responding to LPS, either in the presence or absence of radiation resistant T cells.     

IgA responses in xid mice: oral antigen primes Peyer's patch cells for in vitro immune responses and secretory antibody production

Because the gut-associated lymphoreticular tissue (GALT), e.g., Peyer's patches (PP), of X-linked immunodeficient (xid) mice possesses a subpopulation of mature B cells, we have characterized the ability of xid mice to respond to the thymic-dependent antigen sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) given by the oral route. Gastric intubation of SRBC to xid (CBA/N X DBA/2) F1 male or CBA/N mice, followed by the in vitro culture of dissociated PP cells with SRBC, resulted in IgM, IgG1, IgG2, and high IgA anti-SRBC plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses. The addition of unprimed PP but not splenic T cells to splenic xid B cell cultures resulted in IgM anti-SRBC PFC responses, suggesting the importance of GALT T cells for support of the immune responses to SRBC by splenic B cells from xid mice. Furthermore, purified PP T cells from SRBC orally primed xid mice supported in vitro IgA anti-SRBC PFC responses in B cell cultures from either the PP or the spleens of nonprimed xid mice. Higher IgA responses, however, occurred in PP, when compared with splenic B cell cultures. Additional evidence that the GALT of xid mice contains functional IgA precursor cells was provided by the finding that cloned H-2k PP T helper cells (PP Th A) supported IgA responses in PP B cell cultures derived from (CBA/N X C3H/HeN) F1 male (xid) mice. On the other hand, splenic B cells from these xid mice, in the presence of PP Th A cells, did not support in vitro responses. These results suggest that unique subpopulations of T cells occur in the GALT of xid and normal mice; one T cell subpopulation may induce immature B cells to become precursor IgA cells in the PP. A separate GALT T cell subpopulation, e.g., isotype-specific helper T cells, effectively collaborates with mature IgA B cells for the induction of IgA responses to orally administered antigen. When xid mice were gastric intubated with SRBC, followed by i.p. injection of SRBC, good splenic IgA anti-SRBC PFC responses were seen. Salivary and serum IgA antibodies were also detected in these xid mice. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the anti-SRBC response in xid mice was lower than that seen in similarly treated normal mice. These studies indicate that the GALT of both xid and normal mice possess unique populations of T cells that support in vitro responses in xid B cell cultures from either the spleen or the PP, which direct the mature B cell populations present toward IgA isotype-specific responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Defective primary and secondary IgG responses to thymic-dependent antigens in autoimmune PN mice

Palmerston North (PN) mice spontaneously develop autoimmune disease resembling SLE. Because immune responsiveness has not been defined in this strain, a study was designed to assay primary splenic plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses to thymus-dependent (TD) and thymus-independent (TI) Ag. Initial surveys of PN mice inoculated with the TD Ag SRBC showed adequate production of IgM PFC, but small numbers of IgG PFC were developed with polyspecific antiserum. In contrast, H-2-compatible DBA/1 control mice gave the expected responses to SRBC (IgG plaques elevated twofold compared with IgM plaques). PN mice had the usual responses to Ag that are largely TI; both PN and DBA/1 mice had active IgM and modest IgG responses to TNP-LPS and TNP-Ficoll. Additional experiments determined that PN mice had similar patterns of defective IgG responses to several different TD Ag (SRBC, horse RBC, and DNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin). In each instance, the usual predominance of IgG1 plaques was absent, and total numbers of plaques developed with antisera specific for IgG isotypes were suppressed. Defective PN IgG production was evident as early as 3 wk of age, was not influenced by aging to 43 wk, and was not corrected by increasing the antigenic challenge 10-fold. PN spleen cells treated with monoclonal anti-Thy-1.2 and C were injected with pools of DBA/1 T cells into 850-rad irradiated (DBA/1 x PN)F1 hybrids. These recipients expressed low IgG1 responses to SRBC, suggesting that the B cell-containing fraction that was not lysed by anti-Thy-1.2 transferred the PN defect. PN mice, which do not respond to TD Ag with active IgG production, contradict the proposal that autoimmunity is associated with hyper-responsiveness to TD and TI Ag.     

Kinetics of proliferation,cell differentiation,and IgM secretion in the omental lymphoid organ of B10/Sn mice following intraperitoneal immunization with sheep erythrocytes

At different times after single and repeated intraperitoneal injections of SRBC into B10/Sn mice, the [³H]thymidine uptake of omental lymphoid organ (OLO) cells was examined by means of scintillation counting and autoradiographic methods. The specific immune response was assayed by the PFC technique. The first SRBC injection induced, in OLO, proliferative changes in reticulum cells and an intense infiltration with lymphocytes; however, the production of humoral anti-SRBC antibodies was absent. The second immunization provoked the proliferation of lymphoblasts, the appearance of plasmocytes, and the production of specific antibodies of the IgM class only. The results indicate that OLO, thanks to the particular ability of its reticulum cells, presents a microenvironment selectively trapping B lymphocytes and limiting their functional differentiation.     

The influence of phase shift in the light-dark cycle on humoral immune responses of mice to sheep red blood cells and polyvinylpyrrolidone

The influence of a phase shift in the light-dark cycle on humoral immune responses against sheep red blood cells (SRBC), a thymus-dependent antigen, and against polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a thymus-independent antigen, was studied by using 180 BALB/c mice and 150 C3H/HeN mice. Significant suppression of the immune response to SRBC and the number of splenic plaque-forming cells (PFC) and hemagglutination (HA) titers was observed on days 5 and 6 after inversion of the light-dark cycle. On the other hand, the number of splenic PFC and HA titers in the blood against PVP were minimally suppressed by the phase shift in C3H/HeN mice, except for distortion of the rhythmicity. Corticosterone levels in the blood on days 5 and 6 after inversion were higher than those under a normal lighting regimen. The appearance of the high corticosterone level in the blood after the inversion almost concurred with the suppression of the immune response to SRBC. A decrease of the proportion of splenic T cells was also observed on day 6 after the inversion. These results show that a phase shift in the light-dark cycle provokes suppression of the immune response to SRBC, possibly through an increase of secretion of corticosterone after light-dark inversion, which induces a decrease of the proportion of T lymphocytes in the spleen.     

Characterization of the immunosuppressive state during Schistosoma mansoni infection.

Analysis of a murine model of schistosomiasis revealed that both the thymus (T)- and bursa (B)-derived compartments of the immune system are modified during acute infection. The functional capacity of T and B lymphocytes to respond to mitogenic stimuli and the humoral response to thymus-dependent (SRBC) and thymus-independent (DNP-Ficoll) antigens are severely depressed. In addition, it was found that suppressor cells capable of inhibiting the response of normal lymphocytes to SRBC arise during acute infection. Although the splenic frequency of T (theta) and B (Ig+) cells remained constant during chronic infection, quantitative changes were detected in each population. In the T cell pool there was a decrease in the percentage of Ly-1+ cells and a concomitant increase in Ly-1+, 2+, 3+, cells, whereas the B cell pool showed a progressive loss of complement receptor-bearing lymphocytes, which apparently was the result of inactivation of surface complement receptor by a serum factor specifically found in infected mice. Characterization of the serum factor strongly suggests it is an immune complex. Thus, it appears that both suppressor cells and immune complexes contribute to changes noted in the immune system during acute schistosomiasis. Additional studies carried out in mice after unisexual infection revealed that egg production is not a necessary prerequisite for several of the immunologic phenomena associated with acute schistosomiasis.