Adoptive transfer of resistance to acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection with T-lymphocyte-enriched spleen cells.

Inbred C57BL/10 mice immunized with live culture forms of Trypanosoma cruzi were resistant to acute infection after challenge with bloodstream forms. Splenic leukocytes or serum from immunized mice were transferred to syngeneic recipients 2 days before of 2 days after challenge. Protection was not observed in recipients of serum, although the serum contained high levels of agglutinating antibody. Unfractionated splenic leukocytes from immunized donors conferred partial protection, and preparations enriched for T lymphocytes were significantly more effective than preparations enriched for B lymphocytes. Recipients of T-lymphocyte-enriched spleen cells had significantly higher survival times and significantly lower parasitemias than did recipients of B-lymphocyte-enriched spleen cells.