ENUMERATION OF SELECTED LEUKOCYTES IN THE SMALL INTESTINE OF BALB/c' MICE INFECTED WITH CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM

Abstract

Neonatal suckling BALB / c mice Inoculated With Cryptosporidium parvum produces an infection Characterized by continuous shedding of oocysts That spontaneously clears by the time the animals are three weeks of age. Were neonatal mice used to characterize the leukocyte Subgroups present in Peyer's patches from the ileum and jejunum of Cryptosporidium-infected and healthy mice. After infection, ileal Peyer's patches Showed a predominant CD8 + response, with abundant monocytes-macrophages (MOMA-2 +) and nonlymphoid dendritic cells (NLDC-145 + cells). In contrast, jejunal Peyer's patches Showed T lymphocytes more than ileal patches, with a predominance of CD4 + cells and many NLDC-145 + dendritic cells and MOMA-2 + cells. The present results Showed That jejunal and ileal Peyer's patches are functionally different in response to Cryptosporidium parasites. These findings Suggest a preferential Involvement of jejunal Peyer's patches in T cell-dependent immunity Against the parasite, Whereas ileal patches May be . Associated With B cell expansion and maturation.