Modulator effect of Toxoplasma lysate antigen in mice experimentally infected with Plasmodium berghei.

Normal mice were pretreated twice at an interval of 2 weeks with an emulsion of TLA (Toxoplasma lysate antigen), PLA (Plasmodium lysate antigen) or both in LMO (light mineral oil) or with a combination of the emulsion and Obioactin or Tp-LKs (Toxoplasma lymphokines) as an immunopotentiator. They were then given Obioactin or Tp-LKs 3 and 25 days after the first treatment and were further given parasitized erythrocytes with 1 X 10(2)-10(4) P. berghei 2 weeks after the second treatment. Thirty (3/10, number of survival/number of examined) per cent of mice treated with TLA, 50 (5/10)% of those treated with a combination of TLA and Tp-LKs and 60 (6/10)% of those treated with a combination of TLA and Obioactin survived as long as 20 days postinfection while none of untreated controls survived more than 15 days postinfection. Only 18.2 (2/11)% of mice treated with PLA or TLA + PLA survived and 20 (2/10), 18.2 (2/11) and 60 (6/10)% of those treated with TLA + Obioactin, PLA + Obioactin or TLA + PLA + Obioactin survived throughout the experiment, respectively while none of controls survived more than 13 days postinfection. Five mice of each group were killed right before infection, and 5, 10 and 15 days postinfection. In mice treated with TLA + Obioactin, more macrophage phagocytosis and macrophage migration inhibition induced by sensitized T-cells were observed than in those treated otherwise. No appreciable differences were noted according to the method of treatment in blood examination values. Cross immunities between Toxoplasma and Plasmodium antigens were tested by counter-immunoelectrophoresis and indirect fluorescent antibody technique. By using counter-immunoelectrophoresis, a specific precipitin line was observed between TLA and anti-PLA which was absorbed by mouse erythrocytes, leucocytes and liver powder. By the indirect fluorescent antibody technique, anti-Plasmodium IgM and IgG titers were detected in sera from mice treated with TLA or TLA-Obioactin before infection.