Nitrite mediated T lymphocyte responses in the intestinal immune system of mice infected with Trichinella spiralis nematode.

ABSTRACT

The effects of orally administered sodium nitrite (20 mg NaNO2/kg b. w) on the responses of T and B lymphocytes collected from the mesenteric lymph nodes were studied in resistant AKR/J, H-2(k) haplotype mice infected with Trichinella spiralis nematode. On days 6, 9, and 12 postinfection, the mesenteric lymph node cells (MLNC) were collected from the mice and assayed for lymphocyte subsets (CD4(+), CD8(+), B220(+)), cytokines (IL-2, IL-5), and INF-gamma. At the same time, the number of adult worms in the small intestine were counted. Infection of the nitrite-treated mice with T. spiralis L1 larvae caused a marked increase in the number of adult worms in the small intestine. However, preincubation of T. spiralis L1 larvae with nitrite before infecting the mice resulted in a significant reduction in the number of adult worms (p < 0.05). Preincubation of T. spiralis L1 larvae with nitrite also caused an increase in the number of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells as well as IL-2, IL-5, and INF-gamma levels. An increased level of CD8(+) subsets and a depression of IL-2 and IL-5 production by MLNC were observed in mice infected with larvae without nitrite pretreatment. Since supplementary rIL-1alpha was found to alter INF-gamma secretion by MLNC in vitro, the pattern of MLNC proliferation was examined further with the nitrite-treated mice. Sodium nitrite increased thymidine incorporation into the MLNC. However, INF-gamma production was not enhanced when rIL-1alpha was added to the MLNC culture obtained from nitrite-treated mice.