Buparvaquone but not cyclosporin A prevents Theileria annulata-infected bovine lymphoblastoid cells from stimulating uninfected lymphocytes.

The influence of Buparvaquone on the morphology, proliferation, and stimulation with T and B cell mitogens of Theileria annulata-infected cells was studied. In addition, the stimulatory capacity of the infected cells before and after treatment with Buparvaquone or cyclosporin A (CsA) was also examined and compared to that of ConA-stimulated bovine peripheral blood cells (PBL). After incubation of the cells for 4 days with Buparvaquone only few schizonts were detectable in the cells. Prolongation of the incubation time to 8, 12, or 14 days eliminated completely the parasites. Despite the elimination of the parasites, the cells were still unable to undergo a proliferative response to Con A or PWM. However, the drug did not interfere with the response of normal PBL to these mitogens. Furthermore, Buparvaquone but not CsA inhibits the generation of mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). None of the drugs could prevent ConA-blasts from stimulating autologous PBL. These results suggest that the antigen expressed by the infected cells and recognised by the responder PBL was induced by the schizonts.