Immunogenetic correlates of susceptibility to infection with Heligmosomoides polygyrus in outbred mice

Abstract

Outbred MF1 mice were characterized with respect to their susceptibility to infection with Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Nematoda) on the basis of faecal egg counts after 8 weeks of repeated infection (50 larvae/week). Selective breeding for resistance and susceptibility was carried out over 3 generations. The H-2 type of a sample of the mice was determined, and antigen recognition assessed on the basis of Western blots against adult and larval H. polygyrus homogenate. The selective breeding programme yielded very strong evidence for the heritability of susceptibility to infection. The results were consistent with a model of single gene control with resistance dominant over susceptibility. The presence of the H-2k haplotype was significantly associated with susceptibility, as was the recognition of a 17 kDa antigen in blots against both larval and adult worm homogenate. The proportion of mice phenotypically susceptible to infection, the proportion bearing the H-2k haplotype, and the proportion recognizing the 17 kDa antigen, were all approximately 0.25.