Immune response in mice against hatching associated materials from the filarial parasite Setaria digitata (Von Linstow).

The hatching associated materials (excretory-secretory materials (ES)) from filarial parasite S. digitata showed immunosuppression in BALB/C mice on immunization. The material released along with microfilariae (mf) in Tyrode medium showed maximum immunosuppression while that released in presence of sublethal concentration of diethyl carbamazine (DEC, 0.25 mM) showed initial potentiation followed by suppression. While, protein from lysate of embryo zone from which ES materials were released along with the release of mf originate, showed generalized immunopotentiation in BALB/C mice. The latter suggest a change in the nature of materials of embryonic origin before and after the release of mf.