Cutaneous host defense in leishmaniasis: interaction of isolated dermal macrophages and epidermal Langerhans cells with the insect-stage promastigote.

Leishmania species are obligate intracellular pathogens of mononuclear phagocytes. Successful infection depends on sequestration of the promastigote (insect form) within host cells, allowing transformation into the relatively hardy amastigote stage. Promastigotes are killed readily by circulating phagocytes and nonimmune serum, suggesting that cutaneous infection is initiated within a permissive cell in the epidermis or dermis. From large sections of primate skin dermal macrophages and epidermal Langerhans cells were isolated, and their interaction with promastigotes of Leishmania major was investigated in vitro. Dermal macrophages were readily infected with promastigotes, and successful transformation to and replication of amastigotes was observed. Ingestion of promastigotes by dermal macrophages was not associated with a significant respiratory burst, in contrast to that by other macrophage populations, and was associated with significantly greater survival of parasites. Stimulation of these cells with phorbol myristate acetate or opsonized zymosan revealed that those cells were generally oxidatively deficient. Langerhans cells could not be successfully infected by promastigotes under similar conditions. Examination of these cells for expression of CR3, which has been identified as a potential Leishmania receptor, revealed that Langerhans cells did not express the alpha M subunit of CR3, whereas dermal macrophages were CR3 positive. These data support the concept that dermal macrophages are the site of initiation of Leishmania infection.     

Susceptibility of 3H-thymidine-prelabelled Leishmania donovani amastigotes and promastigotes to the cytotoxic activity of peritoneal, splenic and liver macrophages

C57BL/6 macrophage populations from spleen and liver, the main organs for the manifestation of visceral leishmaniasis, were investigated for their ability to perform spontaneous phagocytosis-associated killing of 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR)-prelabelled L. donovani amastigotes and promastigotes. The results showed that organ macrophages from spleen and liver killed L. donovani amastigotes and promastigotes spontaneously with high efficiency. This consistent finding was first detectable at 2-3 h, and the reaction was completed at 12 h. This type of killing was strongly enhanced when spleen and liver macrophages were activated. This phagocytosis-associated killing mechanism may contribute, to a large extent, in maintaining the infection under control in vivo, by drastically reducing the amount of parasites that is required to establish intracellular parasitism. To be able to assay phagocytosis-associated destruction of both promastigotes and amastigotes, a reproducible system for the production in vitro of Leishmania donovani amastigotes by the macrophage cell-line J774 was developed. The DNA of the Leishmania amastigotes was labelled with 3H-TdR with high efficiency. The spontaneous label release of prelabelled L. donovani amastigotes was comparable to that of prelabelled promastigotes over an assay period of 24 h.     

The respiratory burst is not required for killing of intracellular and extracellular parasites by a lymphokine-activated macrophage cell line

The macrophage cell line, IC-21, was found to be incapable of producing the oxygen products associated with the respiratory burst. However, IC-21 cells were activated by lymphokine (LK) to kill intracellular (Leishmania donovani amastigotes) and extracellular (Schistosoma mansoni larvae) parasites, as well as tumor cells. In each case, the cytotoxicity exhibited by activated IC-21 cells and activated peritoneal macrophages was indistinguishable. However, nonactivated IC-21 cells were unable to kill L. donovani log-growth phase promastigotes, while nonactivated peritoneal macrophages destroyed greater than 90% of the initial infection. These results indicate that amastigotes and schistosome larvae are susceptible to killing by nonoxidative cytotoxic mechanism induced by lymphokine activation but, on the other hand, support the concept that the killing of log-growth phase promastigotes by nonactivated cells is dependent upon the respiratory burst. We propose that the IC-21 cell line may be a useful model for studying nonoxidative killing functions of activated macrophages.     

Interaction of Leishmania donovani promastigotes with human monocyte-derived macrophages: parasite entry, intracellular survival, and multiplication.

Leishmania donovani promastigotes were incubated with human monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro to assess the role of macrophages in the early stage of visceral leishmaniasis. Adherent mononuclear cells, obtained from nonimmune human donors, were cultivated on glass cover slips for 5 days and then incubated with axenically grown promastigotes in the presence of heat-inactivated autologous serum. Promastigotes attached to macrophages with either their flagellar or aflagellar ends, and macrophage pseudopodia formed around them. Intracellular parasites were identified within phagocytic vacuoles by electron microscopy, and the parasites assumed a form similar to that of amastigotes obtained from infected hamster spleens. Initially, 67 +/- 5% of the macrophages were infected with a mean of 4.2 +/- 0.7 parasites per infected cell. After 6 days of incubation, 79 +/- 7% of the macrophages were infected with 15.9 +/- 3.2 parasites per infected cell. The total number of parasites per monolayer increased from 4.8 +/- 0.8 x 10(5) to 1.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(6) (P less than 0.05). Dividing parasites were identified in macrophage vacuoles by electron microscopy. Human monocyte-derived macrophage vacuoles by electron microscopy. Human monocyte-derived macrophages can phagocytize promastigotes, allow the conversion of promastigotes to an amastigote-like state, and support intracellular multiplication.     

A modified colorimetric assay of macrophage activation for intracellular cytotoxicity against Leishmania parasites

An in vitro method is described which colorimetrically assesses the activation of macrophages for intracellular cytotoxicity against the obligate intracellular parasite Leishmania donovani. The assay system uses a highly purified macrophage population derived from 10-day murine bone marrow cultures. These were infected in vitro as a suspension culture with viable L. donovani amastigotes and then exposed to activating agents. After 48 h the intracellular parasites were released by SDS lysis of the macrophages. Surviving Leishmania organisms were quantitated by their conversion of the chromophore MTT. The sensitivity of this method was comparable with the established method of [3H]dThd incorporation. This assay system has been used to show that there is a dual signal requirement (recombinant interferon-gamma and bacterial endotoxin (LPS] for effective activation of macrophages for leishmanicidal activity.     

Mechanisms of resistance to Leishmania aethiopica. I. Interferon-gamma in combination with a cytokine (not tumor necrosis factor-alpha) is required, but cannot act alone in the inhibition of intracellular forms of L. aethiopica in THP1 cells.

Following exposure to promastigotes of various Leishmania species, mononuclear cells from non-exposed as well as potentially exposed individuals produced a cytokine response which inhibited intracellular forms of Leishmania aethiopica in a permissive monocytic cell line (THP1). Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), was one of the cytokines responsible for this anti-leishmanial effect. IFN-gamma was necessary for inhibition but could not act on its own inhibiting L. aethiopica. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha seemed not to be involved in the anti-L. aethiopica effect. The observed effects were in the absence of endotoxin. The results suggest that the mechanisms of killing of L. aethiopica in human cells may differ from those responsible for inhibition of other Leishmania parasites (such as Leishmania major) in mouse macrophages. Furthermore, that potentially relevant responses to Leishmania antigens may exist in normal individuals.     

Macrophage-mediated innate host defense against protozoan parasites

Macrophages are immune cells that play a pivotal role in the detection and elimination of pathogenic microorganisms. Macrophages possess a variety of surface receptors devoted to the recognition of non-self by discriminating between host and pathogen-derived structures. Recognition of foreign microorganisms by the macrophage ultimately results in phagocytosis and the eventual destruction of microorganisms by lysosomal enzymes, toxic reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates, and/or nutrient deprivational mechanisms. However, protozoan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania spp., parasitize macrophages, utilizing them as a host cell for their growth, replication, and/or maintenance of their life cycles. The protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania are unique in that their intracellular replication in the host is predominantly restricted to a single cell type, the macrophage. This review focuses on the cellular processes involved in macrophage-mediated host defense against protozoan parasites, from the initial host-parasite interactions that mediate recognition to the mechanisms employed by macrophages to destroy and eliminate the pathogen. As an example model system of experimental study, we describe in more more detail the cellular interactions between macrophages and the obligate intracellular parasite of mammalian macrophages, Leishmania spp.     

In vitro light and electron microscope studies on different virulent promastigotes ofLeishmania donovani in hamster peritoneal macrophages

Summary Hamster peritoneal macrophages were infected with arivulent and virulent promastigotes of aL. donovani strain using various ratios (11; 110) of parasites and peritoneal cells. Light microscope studies have shown that there was a significant difference in the number of parasites taken up by phagocytic cells between the macrophage cultures infected with avirulent and virulent promastigotes at 4 h as well as during the following 14 days of infection. In both virulent groups the number of amastigotes were sharply increased. However, the surviving parasites were eliminated continuously when the macrophage cultures were infected with avirulent parasites. Electron microscope examinations of the different infected macrophage cultures did not show any difference in the localization of the surviving parasites. At one and 24 h post-infection, parasites have been observed in typical parasitophorous vacuoles. However, by day 4, 7, and 14 post-infections, the majority of intact parasites were surrounded by a four-laminar membrane without a space between parasite and vacuole membrane. Besides, some amastigotes were seen in large parasitophorous vacuoles. It seemed as if some of these amastigotes were trying to leave the parasitophorous vacuoles. In all cases acid phosphatase could be demonstrated in the parasitophorous vacoules and around the parasites indicating that the lysosomes of the host cell have been fused with the parasitophorous vacuole. It is indicated that the virulentLeishmania parasites are more resistant to the digestive system of the macrophages.     

免疫小鼠及正常小鼠巨噬细胞对利什曼无鞭毛期的吞噬作用

内脏利什曼原虫主要寄生在巨噬细胞系统的单核吞噬细胞内,在一般情况下其无鞭毛期能抵抗巨噬细胞的杀灭作用。 为了观察经杜氏利什曼原虫免疫后的小鼠其巨噬细胞的作用,我们采用了CFW纯系小鼠,经不同免疫方法于免疫后不同时间观察了体外培养中巨噬细胞的吞噬功能。实验采用的巨噬细胞与杜氏利什曼原虫前鞭毛期的比例为1:4。从每24小时吞噬功能的结果表明,经利什曼鞭毛体纯抗原免疫及福氏佐剂加利什曼抗原免疫的两组小鼠,均以免疫后3周的吞噬率最高,分别为72％及96％;两组吞噬指数的均值±SD(4.46±1.72,6.99±4.36)亦较正常组小鼠(1.68±1.25,1.72±1.15)为高,并具有显著差异(P<0.05)。提示了特异性抗原以及与佐剂合并具有对吞噬功能的激活作用。实验并观察了巨噬细胞内利什曼原虫无鞭毛期的活力作用,从吞噬原虫后20小时开始至 144小时,正常小鼠巨噬细胞内的无鞭毛期再经三恩氏培养基培养后均能恢复为前鞭毛期,而经免疫小鼠巨噬细胞内的利什曼原虫无鞭毛期在72小时后即消失活力。 另外,对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞吞噬利什曼原虫的动态亦作了仔细观察。 实验结果说明了经过免疫的小鼠,由于被淋巴细胞激活后的巨噬细胞能杀死利什曼原虫,巨噬细胞在宿主对感染应答中是一个重要部分,对于探索黑热病的免疫机理具有一     

Killing of Leishmania parasites in activated murine macrophages is based on an L-arginine-dependent process that produces nitrogen derivatives.

The experiments described in this report were aimed at determining whether L-arginine (L-arg)-derived nitrogen oxidation products (nitric oxide, nitrous acid, nitrites) are involved in the intracellular killing of Leishmania parasites by activated murine macrophages in vitro. Peritoneal or bone marrow-derived macrophages were infected with L. enriettii or L. major, then activated by exposure to recombinant murine interferon-gamma or to macrophage activating factor (MAF)-rich media in the presence of lipopolysaccharide. Activation of macrophages in regular (i.e., arginine-containing) culture medium led to complete destruction of the microorganisms within 24 h (L. enriettii) or 48 h (L. major), concomitant with accumulation of nitrites (NO2-) in the culture fluids. When macrophage activation was carried out in L-arg-free medium, however, neither parasite killing nor NO2- production was obtained. A similar inhibition of macrophage leishmanicidal activity and of NO2- release was observed using media treated with arginase (which converts L-arg to urea and ornithine), or supplemented with NG-monomethyl-L-arg or guanidine (which inhibit the conversion of L-arg to nitrogen oxidation products). In all these situations, an excellent correlation between the levels of NO2- production by macrophages and intracellular killing of Leishmania was observed, whereas no strict correlation was detectable between leishmanicidal activity and superoxide production. Intracellular parasite killing by activated macrophages could be prevented by addition of iron salts to the incubation fluids. Incubation of free parasites with NaNO2 at acid pH (which permits the production of nitrous acid) led to immobilisation, multiplication arrest, and morphological degeneration of the microorganisms. Similarly, exposure of infected cells to NaNO2 led to killing of the intracellular parasite without affecting macrophage viability. These experiments strongly suggest that the leishmanicidal effect of activated murine macrophages involves the agency of L-arg-derived nitrogen oxidation products.     

Lead inhibits intracellular killing of Leishmania parasites and extracellular cytolysis of target cells by macrophages exposed to macrophage activating factor

Activation of Leishmania enriettii-infected mouse macrophages in vitro by treatment with macrophage activating factor (MAF)-rich media supplemented with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to rapid killing of the microorganism. When exposed to MAF + LPS in the presence of 30-100 microM lead acetate, however, macrophages failed to destroy the parasites. This effect was not due to lead toxicity for macrophages. Decreased microbicidal activity correlated with depressed respiratory burst as determined by measurements of glucose oxidation through the hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS). Lead had little effect on intracellular parasite killing induced by exposure of macrophages to the electron carrier methylene blue; HMPS in such cells was similarly little affected, indicating that chemical triggering of this pathway bypassed the lead-imposed blockade. Lead also abolished macrophage activation measured by the lysis of tumor target cells in vitro. The metal failed, however, to interfere with target-cell lysis by macrophages activated in lead-free medium, suggesting that lead inhibited the acquisition of the activated state rather than the functional expression of such state. Lead did not prevent the binding of radiolabelled interferon-gamma to macrophages; it did, however, slow down receptor turnover and degradation of bound interferon. Lead also inhibited the LPS-triggered cytotoxicity in macrophages previously exposed to interferon-gamma in lead-free medium, suggesting that depressed intracellular killing might result from an effect on both the priming (interferon or MAF-dependent) and the triggering (LPS-dependent) steps of activation.     

Cytokine Responses to Parasite Antigens: In Vitro Cytokine Production to Promastigotes of L. aethiopica by Cells from Non-Leishmania Exposed Donors may Influence Disease Establishment

The various cytokine responses associated with stimulation by parasites is discussed with emphasis on Leishmania parasites.
Cells from normal individuals can respond to Leishmania antigen in vitro but the State of the antigen used for stimulation influences the outcome. We have used cells from non- Leishmania exposed donors and stimulated them in vitro with variously treated promastigotes of L. aethiopica. The levels of some cytokines released into the supernatant were measured. All the Leishmania preparations tested induced high levels of IL-6. whereas IFN-_γ production to the different stimuli was variable in the individual donors. The ability of these supernatants to inhibit intracellular forms of L. aethiopica was sometimes stronger in L. aethiopica -induced than in PHA-induced cultures. Such strong non- Leishmania specific responses, if they exist in vivo, may influence whether disease is established when the host encounters Leishmania parasites.     

Interleukin-2-activated natural killer cells may have a direct role in the control of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis promastigote and macrophage infection

To study the role of Natural Killer (NK) cells in Leishmania infection, peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice were infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis promastigotes and incubated with interleukin-2 (IL-2)-activated NK (A-NK) cells at different ratios of A-NK cells to infected macrophages (5:1, 1:1, 0.2:1). The A-NK cells were added either together with the parasites (0-h group) or 24 h later (24-h group). Morphological studies of the cultures revealed predominance of parasitic debris within macrophages that were in close contact with A-NK cells and the decrease in parasite recovery was directly proportional to the A-NK cell concentration used. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-12 were detected in the supernatant at levels proportional to the A-NK cell concentration used. No significant difference was observed between the groups with respect to NO levels in the culture supernatant. When A-NK cells were added directly to the L. (L.) amazonensis promastigote cultures, the parasite recovery decreased proportional to the number of A-NK cells added. In vivo studies demonstrated smaller lesion sizes in animals inoculated with both parasites and A-NK cells compared with parasites alone. Histopathology of the skin lesions from animals receiving A-NK cells together with the parasites showed moderate parasitism and a nodular inflammatory infiltrate formed by mononuclear cells and a few vacuolized macrophages. In contrast, animals inoculated only with the parasites showed a highly parasitized dermis with infiltration of intensely vacuolized macrophages. These results demonstrate the role of A-NK cells in parasite lysis and in resistance of macrophages to L. (L.) amazonensis in the early phase of infection.     

Differential inhibition of macrophage microbicidal activity by liposomes.

In vitro culture of murine resident peritoneal macrophages with lymphokine (LK)-rich leukocyte culture fluids induces enhanced microbicidal activity against amastigotes of the protozoan parasite Leishmania tropica. Macrophages infected with Leishmania and treated with LKs after infection acquire the capacity to kill the intracellular parasite within 72 h. When compared with control macrophage cultures treated with medium lacking LKs, 80 to 90% fewer macrophages treated with LKs contained amastigotes. In experiments designed to test liposome delivery of LKs to infected macrophages, addition of multilamellar liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine (molar ratio, 7:3) completely abrogated LK-induced microbicidal activity. Liposomes containing only phosphatidylcholine were not inhibitory. Inhibition of LK activity by the liposomes occurred regardless of whether the liposomes contained LKs. Liposomal inhibition of activated macrophage effector activity was limited to intracellular killing; LK-induced macrophage extracellular cytolysis (i.e., tumor cytotoxicity) was not affected by liposome treatment. These data indicate that elucidation of the effects of liposome composition on acquired host defense mechanisms may be useful for the design of drug delivery systems that allow expression or augmentation of immunologically induced mechanisms for the intracellular destruction of infectious agents.     

Leishmania mexicana pifanoi: in vivo and in vitro interactions between amastigotes and macrophages

Macrophages of the cell line J774 were used in a comparative study of virulence involving amastigote stages ofLeishmania mexicana pifanoi isolated from macrophages (AMA-M) of the aforementioned cell line, amastigote forms grown in the UM-54 cell-free medium (AMA-C), and promastigote stages. The macrophage cultures were inoculated with AMA-M and AMA-C at the culture cell to parasite ratios of 13, 15, and 110. The macrophages were exposed to either kind of amastigotes for 24, 48, and 72 h. At the end of each of these periods, and for each dilution, the percentages of macrophages harboring the parasites within their cytoplasm and the mean numbers of intracellular parasites/macrophage were estimated on the basis of examination of 200 phagocytes. When either AMA-M or AMA-C were employed, after 24 h, the percentages of infected macrophages were, respectively, 84.5%, 89.0%, and 94.5% for the three aforementioned dilutions, the majority of the phagocytes containing 1–5 parasites. After 48- and 72-h exposures, the macrophages harbored 6–11 and 11–20 amastigotes/cell, respectively. Evidently intracellular multiplication of the amastigotes has taken place. In contrast to the results obtained with the amastigote forms, after inoculations of the macrophage cultures with promastigotes at the dilutions previously used for amastigotes, only 48–78 phagocytes were found to contain intracellular stages within their cytoplasm. Many macrophages were parasite-free, especially when exposed to fewer promastigotes. Experiments in which 5×10⁶ promastigotes, AMA-M, or AMA-C were inoculated into the footpads of hamsters yielded the following results with regard to terminal footpad volumes: 1.57, 3.31, and 3.32 cm³, respectively. Evidently both kinds of amastigotes had equal virulence for hamsters; however, the promastigote stages were much less virulent for these experimental hosts.This report is part of a dissertation submitted to the Graduate School, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Zoology     

Intracellular parasite killing induced by electron carriers. II. Correlation between parasite killing and the induction of oxidative events in macrophages

Mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with Leishmania parasites were exposed in vitro to the electron carriers methylene blue (MB), toluidine blue 0 (TB), phenazine methosulfate (PMS) and crystal violet (CV). This led to parasite destruction without harm to the macrophages. The kinetics of intracellular killing depended on both the drug concentration and the duration of exposure; over 80% of the microorganisms were inactivated within 2.5 min of incubation of the parasitized cells with 10(-4) M MB. On a molar basis, the drugs were considerably more active against intracellular compared to free parasites, suggesting that the macrophages themselves play a role in the observed anti-parasite toxicity. Intracellular killing by macrophages exposed to MB, TB and PMS correlated with the stimulation of oxygen uptake and hexose monophosphate shunt activity in the cells. Cytochrome c markedly inhibited MB-induced intracellular parasite destruction as well as completely blocking parasite killing in macrophages activated by lymphokines, pointing to O-2, H2O2 or products derived therefrom as possible mediators of macrophage toxic activity in both instances. Cytochrome c did not protect free parasites from the direct toxicity of the drug, however. Lipopolysaccharide promoted parasite destruction by lymphokine-activated macrophages, but failed to do so for electron carrier-stimulated cells. These observations suggest that intracellular killing induced by electron carriers results from a direct interaction of the drugs with cellular redox systems, leading to the generation of oxygen metabolites toxic for the parasites.     

Fibronectin binding and proteolytic degradation by Leishmania and effects on macrophage activation

Infection by vector-borne protozoa of the genus Leishmania occurs by the deposition of parasites within the skin of the mammalian host, where they eventually bind to and are phagocytized by Mphis. Our previous work supported the idea that parasites can interact with extracellular matrix and basement membrane proteins, such as fibronectin (FN), within the skin, leading to enhanced invasion. In this report, we extend these findings and show that both promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania species can bind directly to soluble FN and laminin (LM) and that promastigotes express a distinct surface protein of approximately 60 kDa that binds both FN and LM. Promastigotes of multiple Leishmania species can rapidly degrade FN by using surface-localized and secreted metalloprotease (leishmanolysin). FN degradation at the surfaces of amastigotes is leishmanolysin dependent, whereas both secreted leishmanolysin and cysteine protease B contribute to extracellular FN degradation. Leishmania-degraded FN decreased the production of reactive oxygen intermediates by parasite-infected macrophages and affected the accumulation of intracellular parasites. These findings show that both parasite stages of Leishmania species bind to and proteolytically degrade FN at the parasite surface and distantly through secreted proteases and that degraded forms of FN can influence the activation state of parasite-infected macrophages.     

Inhibition of Leishmania donovani promastigote internalization into murine macrophages by chemically defined parasite glycoconjugate ligands.

Leishmania donovani, the agent of human visceral leishmaniasis, is an intracellular parasite that must be recognized and internalized by host macrophages to complete its biological cycle. In a search for possible ligands for macrophage surface receptors, glycoconjugates were obtained from Leishmania promastigotes by aqueous, phenol-aqueous, and alkaline extraction. A fucose-mannose glycoproteic ligand, a lipopeptidephosphoglycan, and a phosphate mannogalactan ligand were purified from promastigotes and analyzed for their chemical contents, with special attention to their glycidic moieties. Sugars that were identified as components of these glycoconjugates were tested for their capacity to inhibit promastigote internalization by BALB/c peritoneal macrophages in vitro. Neutral hexoses showed little inhibitory activity; fucose, charged monosaccharides, and a mannose polymer showed the highest activity. Two of the glycoconjugates (fucose-mannose glycoproteic ligand and phosphate mannogalactan ligand) purified from promastigotes were potent inhibitors of internalization, 75% inhibition being obtained at concentrations of 6 to 10 micrograms/ml. The simultaneous presence of both ligands in low concentrations yielded an increase in inhibitory activity above that found for each ligand alone, indicating that promastigotes may use at least two receptor sites for penetration into macrophages. These ligands are specific inhibitors of L. donovani promastigote phagocytosis, since 10 micrograms of each ligand per ml interfered neither with internalization of yeast cells nor with phagocytosis of Leishmania adleri promastigotes.     

Cytophilic and Opsonic Antibodies in Visceral Leishmaniasis in Mice

Although acquired immunity to leishmaniasis is generally considered to be cell mediated, humoral factors may be partially responsible. The present study showed that antisera from C57BL/6J mice superinfected with Leishmania donovani contained cytophilic antibody and opsonins for both the amastigote and promastigote stages of the parasite. Macrophages treated with mouse hyperimmune serum in an in vitro macrophage culture system bound statistically significantly more parasites at 4°C (and subsequently phagocytized them at 37°C) than did macrophage cultures treated with control serum. The percentages of antibody-treated macrophages bearing and containing parasites were also significantly greater than the percentages of control serum-treated macrophages bearing and containing parasites, respectively. These differences persisted in cultures during a 9-day observation period when sera from mice killed 10 or 11 days after superinfection were used. However, when sera from mice killed 24 days after superinfection were tested with amastigotes, by day 9 the number of parasites and the percentage of cells parasitized in the culture decreased to control values or significantly below them. Thioglycolate-stimulated macrophages treated with hyperimmune serum bound more amastigotes at 4°C than did stimulated macrophages treated with control serum. Activated macrophages also demonstrated increased nonspecific binding of amastigotes. Treatment of macrophages with trypsin reduced both cytophilic antibody-specific and nonspecific binding of amastigotes. The demonstration of in vitro effects of anti-leishmanial antibody from superinfected mice might indicate a possible role for humoral antibody in immunity to leishmaniasis in mice.