Homocytotropic antibody responses during murine schistosomiasis. A follow-up study of both total immunoglobulins and Schistosoma mansoni specific antibodies.

Mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni develop a high increase of homocytotropic antibodies, thought to be involved in protection. IgE and IgG1 rise differently during the course of infection. Total serum IgE levels rise between days 20 and 30 and the maximum is observed around day 50. IgG1 levels remain almost unchanged until day 50 after which they increase dramatically, reaching a peak at day 100. S. mansoni specific IgE antibodies measured by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis parallel to variations of total IgE. On the contrary, S. mansoni specific IgG1 antibodies, also measured by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, do not parallel total IgG1; they reach a peak between days 30 and 40 and remain high until day 100.