RESUMO
The mechanisms of immune response generation and regulation at the intestinal level are not well known, mainly due to the lack of suitable and reproducible methods to measure local immune responses. The Cunningham direct and indirect hemolytic plaque assay for the quantification of antibody producing cells against Salmonella in Peyer's patches of mice orally infected with Salmonella typhimurium was used. After infection IgM and IgG producing cells were determined on days 6, 9, 12 and 19. Specific antibody producing cells appeared after bacterial invasion of Peyer's patches, nine days after infection. At this time, there were more antibody producing cells in the distal part of the intestine, which correlated with a higher infection of these Peyer's patches as detected by bacterial culture. After day nine, the number of plaque forming cells was similar in both parts of the intestine. The peak of response was on day 12 and diminished on day 19. The number of IgM and IgG producing cells was similar in all days analyzed. Histological analysis of Peyer's patches of infected mice showed inflammation with disorganization and tumefaction.