Fetal Immune Response
             To Infection
            
             With Toxoplasmosa gondii
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
             Tom Repici
             Immunology 4200
            
             11-21-98
             
             ABSTRACT
             I will be addressing the possible immunological barriers that may be involved with challenge
             to infection of Toxoplasmosa gondii, the protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis. It is widely known
             that toxoplasmosis is a devastating disease, with often drastic consequences upon infection. In
             pregnant mothers, these consequences can be very horrid. Such effects are more felt by the unborn
             fetus than by the mother. These effects include abortion, premature birth, and severe growth
             retardation (Creasy et. al., 1994). Falkner et. al. have shown that the human fetus is capable of
             producing antibodies as early as ten weeks gestation time. We also know that antibodies to
             toxoplasmosis exist, which are of Ig G, Ig M, and, recently demonstrated, although in low levels, Ig
             E isotypes.
             These facts give rise to some questions regarding the bizarre reactions of the fetus, which
             should be more than protected enough from infection. Why is the fetus damaged, or even aborted
             from such a challenge, when it has the ability to produce antibodies? Are any of the antibodies
             produced specific for toxoplasmosis? Are the maternal antibodies that may exist to toxoplasmosis
             found in fetal serum (due to the passive immunity from mother to child), or are they blocked by
             some selection mechanism in the placenta?
             My objectives are to find out 1)if the placenta does in fact serve as an antibody sponge
             (Creasy et. al.), 2)if the fetus produces antibodies specific for toxoplasmosis, 3)if fetal antibodies
             specific for toxoplasmosis are found, what isotype they are (to determine if they might be of maternal
             origin, since Ig G readily crosses the placenta), 4)if the antibodies found have a high affinity for
             toxoplasmosis immunogen and are capable of eliciting an effective immune response.
             BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE
             ...