Effect of spleen cell populations on resolution of Cryptosporidium parvum infection in SCID mice

Abstract

Persistent infection was established in SCID mice given 107 Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. Nine groups of infected SCID mice were inoculated with 106, 105, or 104 total spleen cells, CD8-depleted spleen cells, or CD4-depleted spleen cells from naive BALB/c donors. Infection was significantly reduced in all treatment groups. The most profound effect occurred with spleen cell preparations containing CD4 T lymphocytes but depleted of CD8 T lymphocytes.