Systemic immune response to oral colonization.

The principal aim of this work was to analyze the host systemic immune response to an oral infection of A. viscosus T14V. Previous work had established a Balb/c mouse model for A. viscosus T14V oral infection. Animals were infected and the splenocyte response to A. viscosus T14V antigens, LPS, and Con A were assessed in the lymphoblast assay. Splenocytes from mice infected with A. viscosus T14V exhibited an altered response pattern to the antigens and mitogens. The responses were enhanced or suppressed when compared to the uninfected control splenocyte response. The effluent cells from a nylon wool column were unresponsive to A. viscosus antigens but LPS did respond to Con A. This response pattern was true for splenocytes from infected and uninfected animals. These results suggest that A. viscosus T14V is a potent immunomodulater when analyzed within the BaIb/c mouse model system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]