Histopathological studies of Sporothrix schenckii-inoculated mice. Possible functions of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in normal and immunocompromised (congenitally athymic nude) mice.

Defense mechanisms against Sporothrix schenckii were studied using mouse models. After an intracutaneous injection of the yeast form of S. schenckii to the dorsal skin of the congenitally athymic nude and normal heterozygote littermate mice, nodules were formed. They regressed and disappeared in 10 weeks in the case of normal mice. On the other hand, nodules and then ulceration developed progressively in nude mice until all animals expired by dissemination of microorganisms at the 11th week of inoculation. Histopathologically the migrated cells were similar in both the normal and the nude mice, particularly during the early phase (within 24 h), with infiltration by PMNs being predominant. Fragmentation of S. schenckii commenced early during the 12-24 h stage of inoculation in the normal mice, while such fragmentation was scarce in nude mice even though numerous PMNs accumulated. Microscopic observations in the early stages (within 24 h of inoculation) suggested that the lack of killing activity by PMNs in nude mice contributes more to the impaired defense than the lack of macrophage activation by T-cells.