Inhibition of multiplication of Toxoplasma gondii by human monocytes exposed to T-lymphocyte products

Abstract

The multiplication of Toxoplasma gondii was quantitated in human monocytes in vitro by phase-contrast microscopy. Toxoplasma multiplication was identical in monocytes from subjects byt was significantly inhibited in cells from both sources if the monocytes were preincubated with immune lymphocytes and toxoplasma monocytes were preincubated with immune lymphocytes and toxoplasma antigen. Supernates prepared from toxoplasma-immune lymphocytes incubated with toxoplasma antigen were also effective in inducing in monocytes the capacity to inhibit toxoplasma multiplication. Supernative acitivty was evident after lymphocytes and antigen were incubated for as little as 15 min. The instruction of monocytes was also repid and reversible. Monocytes were fully induced to inhibit toxoplasma multiplication after a 2 h exposure to an active supernate, but they lost their inhibitory capacity on culture in vitro for 48 h in the absece of immune cells or their products. The lymphocytes particupating in the monocyte induction were identified as t cells. The in vitro stimulation of monocytes appeared to exhibit some specificity, since no inhibition of toxopreotein derivative and lymphocytes from tuberculin-positive subjects, concanavalin a-stimulated lymphocytes, or their supermates. Supernates which induced monocytes to inhibit toxoplasma multiplication did not influence parasite growth in HeLa cells.