Immunologic effector mechanisms of a standardized mistletoe extract on the function of human monocytes and lymphocytes in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo.

Even though mistletoe extracts have been in clinical use for centuries their exact mode of action is still unknown. Currently, the application scheme for registered preparations is a dose-escalating scheme to thus reduce side effects. In this study, healthy controls and patients were evaluated for their immunologic response to treatment with a standardized mistletoe extract (Iscador).

Improving the in vitro antigen specific T cell proliferation assay: the use of interferon-alpha to elicit antigen specific stimulation and decrease bystander proliferation.

The measurement of the proliferative response of primed T cells to an antigenic stimulus (lymphocyte transformation assay: LTT) is commonly used for determining T cell immune responsiveness. However, the ratio between the spontaneous and the antigen-triggered response (stimulation index) is frequently quite low (<3-5) making the interpretation difficult. We modified the assay by the addition of interferon-alpha and the use of fresh autologous serum instead of human AB pool serum.

Mechanisms of endotoxin tolerance in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis: role of interleukin 10, interleukin 1 receptor antagonist, and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptors as well as effector cell desensitisation.

Background: In patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, endotoxaemia is a frequent finding. Unknown mechanisms, however, prevent typical clinical symptoms of endotoxaemia in many patients.

Methods: We determined plasma levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, ex vivo cytokine secretion capacity, and expression of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptors on phagocytic blood cells in 49 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and 41 age matched healthy controls.

Plasma cytokine parameters and mortality in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Inflammatory immune activation is an important feature in chronic heart failure (CHF). Little is known about the prognostic importance of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble TNF-receptor 1 and 2 (sTNF-R1/sTNF-R2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble CD14 receptors (sCD14) in CHF patients.

Methods And Results: In 152 CHF patients (age 61+/-1 years, New York Heart Association [NYHA] class 2.

[Prophylactic effectiveness of propolis for immunostimulation: a clinical pilot study].

Objective: The aim of this pilot investigation was to show the evidence of the prophylactic immunostimulating effectiveness caused by propolis. The immune response was determined by the measurement of the cytokine level in vivo and ex vivo (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8).

Study Design: In an open prospective monocentric study, test persons received Propolis XNP.