Abstract
The development of thymocytotoxic autoantibodies was investigated in mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma mansoni, Echinococcus multilocularis, Nematospiroides dubius, Trichinella spiralis, Trichuris muris, Hymenolepsis nana, Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium vinckei, Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium chabaudi. The infections with all of these parasite species induced thymocytotoxic autoantibodies, although the levels of their cytotoxic activity were varied in different host-parasite combinations. The highest titer up to 1 : 16 was observed in the sera of mice infected with S. japonicum and S. mansoni. They have generally an optimal reactivity at 4°C but some showed greater cytotoxicity at 37°C. The cytotoxicity was completely absorbed with thymocytes. The possible mechanism (s) responsible for the production of these autoantibodies and their in vivo role were discussed.
