T-lymphocyte modulation of intestinal muscle function in the Trichinella-infected rat

Jejunal longitudinal muscle from Trichinella-infected Sprague-Dawley rats generates increased tension in vitro 6 days after infection. To investigate the extent to which this increase is dependent on T lymphocytes, smooth muscle contraction was examined in athymic rats (rnu/rnu) and in their euthymic (rnu/+) littermates 6 days after infection. In both thymus-bearing and athymic rats, the highest concentrations of Trichinella were found in the …