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Sex differences and cross-immunity in DBA/2 mice infected with L. mexicana and L. major

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

J. Alexander
J. Alexander
Affiliation:
University of Strathclyde, Immunology Division, The Todd Centre, 31 Taylor Street, Glasgow G4 0N R
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Summary

Female DBA/2 mice were found to be highly resistant to Leishmania mexicana and rarely developed lesions even when inoculated subcutaneously with high numbers (5 × 106) of amastigotes. Male DBA/2 mice, on the other hand, were much more susceptible to this parasite and often developed non-healing lesions even when inoculated subcutaneously with comparatively few (5 × 104) amastigotes. Conversely, although both male and female DBA/2 mice developed ulcerating lesions when inoculated subcutaneously with L. major amastigotes, lesions invariably healed in males but did not heal in females. Male DBA/2 mice recovered from L. major infection subsequently were found to be resistant to subcutaneous challenge with L. mexicana. Conversely female DBA/2 mice that had failed to develop lesions when infected with L. mexicana developed lesions which healed following subcutaneous challenge with L. major. Thus there is bilateral cross-immunity between L. mexicana and L. major in DBA/2 mice which overrides differences in sex-determined susceptibility to both organisms.

Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 96 , Issue 2 , April 1988 , pp. 297 - 302
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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