The authors examined in vitro the influence of the ES antigen of T. spiralis on the cells of lymphatic nodes in healthy mice. They found that this antigen is capable of causing apoptosis. The number of the cells demonstrating such changes depends on the concentration of the antigen and on the time of reaction. After 3 hours of incubation, all the cells reacted negatively, whereas after 24 hours, the number of the apoptotic cells at the concentration of 10 μg proteins/ml was 3%. At the concentration of 100 μg/ml, it was as high as 15%. In the control without any antigen, it was only 2%. The results of the examinations in vitro suggest that the phenomenon of apoptosis in vivo constitutes an important defense mechanism of a parasite.

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