Adoptive transfer of immunity to Histoplasma capsulatum in athymic nude mice.

Studies of adoptive transfer of resistance to Histoplasma capsulatum were performed with athymic nude (nu/nu) recipients and heterozygous (nu/+) donor mice. This model has the benefit of employing a recipient mouse (nu/nu) which cannot be immunized actively against H. capsulatum. Nu/nu mice were protected against H. capsulatum by whole spleen cells, fractioned T lymphocytes, and macrophages from immunized nu/+ donor mice. Similar cell populations from nonimmune nu/+ mice were not protective. Treatment with gold sodium thiomalate, an inhibitor of macrophage function, increased susceptibility to H. capsulatum in nu/+ and nu/nu mice. Adoptive transfer of immunity to H. capsulatum is multifactorial and depends on both T lymphocytes and macrophages.