@article{5688,
  keywords = {Animals, Antibody Formation, Autoimmunity, Humans, Hypersensitivity, Delayed, Immunity, Cellular, Parasitic Diseases},
  author = {Bretscher P A},
  title = {An hypothesis to explain why cell-mediated immunity alone can contain infections by certain intracellular parasites and how immune class regulation of the response against such parasites can be subverted.},
  abstract = {<p>Cells with a low density of parasite-specific antigens on their surface are postulated to be susceptible to a cell-mediated attack but not to effector mechanisms normally activated following the binding of specific antibody to the infected cell. It is further postulated that such infected cells normally induce a cell-mediated response, and that cells infected with slow-growing intracellular parasites have a low density of parasite-specific antigens on their surface. Despite these general postulates, cell-mediated immunity is not invariably induced following natural infection by certain slow-growing parasites, such as those responsible for leprosy, tuberculosis, and the leishmaniases, and antibody can be induced that is exclusive of a strong, cell-mediated response. It is proposed that certain events in such cases subvert the normal regulatory processes that control the class of immunity induced. In these cases, the parasite-infected cells, bearing a low representation of parasite antigens, induce antibody even though they are not susceptible to antibody-dependent effector mechanisms, and so they are not eliminated. In this case, chronic infection and uncontrolled growth of the parasite occurs, often with fatal consequences.</p>},
  year = {1992},
  journal = {Immunology and cell biology},
  volume = {70 ( Pt 5)},
  pages = {343-51},
  month = {1992 Oct},
  issn = {0818-9641},
  doi = {10.1038/icb.1992.44},
  language = {eng},
}