Immunostimulatory effects of dimerized lysozyme (KLP-602) on the nonspecific defense mechanisms and protection against furunculosis in salmonids.

Utilization of natural immunostimulants in fish culture offers a wide range of attractive methods for inducing and building protection against diseases. Lysozyme is an enzyme with bacteriolytic properties and is ubiquitous in its distribution among living organisms. This enzyme has antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Effects of lysozyme dimer on humoral response to sheep erythrocytes in non-treated and cyclophosphamide-immunosuppressed mice.

The effects of lysozyme dimer on humoral response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) and restoration of the response impaired by a single cyclophosphamide dose (200 mg/kg) were tested on mice. The effect of lysozyme dimer on the humoral response to SRBC in non-treated with cyclophosphamide mice was determined in relation to doses (0.2, 2, 20 or 200 micrograms/kg) and the time of the drug administration with respect to the antigen before or after SRBC immunization.

Reciprocal effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and of thymic factor (TFX-thymomodulin) on bactericidal activity of human neutrophils.

Studies were performed on phagocytosis and on bactericidal capacity of human neutrophils (HN), isolated from healthy volunteers. Effects of indomethacin, PGE2, and TFX-Thymomodulin on function of the cells were examined. Only in a proportion of cases indomethacin was significantly reducing bactericidal activity of HN indicating that the activity might require the presence of endogenous prostaglandin.

Reciprocal effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and of thymic factor (TFX-thymomodulin) on bactericidal activity of human neutrophils.

Studies were performed on phagocytosis and on bactericidal capacity of human neutrophils (HN), isolated from healthy persons. Effects of indomethacin, PGE2 and TFX-Thymomodulin on function of the cells were examined. Only in a proportion of cases indomethacin was significantly reducing bactericidal activity of HN indicating that the activity might require the presence of endogenous prostaglandin.

Suppression of monocyte mediated anti U562 cytotoxicity by soluble factors in the serum of cancer patients and in the supernatant of K562 cell culture.

Anti U562 cytotoxicity of monocytes isolated from blood of patients with alimentary tract cancer was shown to be depressed compared to monocytes of healthy individuals. A serum factor was demonstrated in the patients which depressed the cytotoxicity of healthy donor monocytes. Such suppressive factor was also produced by the K562 cell line and its production was blocked by indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, as well as by thymus preparations TFX and Thymex L.

The influence of thymus extract (TFX) on the phagocytosis and the bactericidal capacity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils from patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The influence of thymus extract (TFX) on phagocytosis and bactericidal capacity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) from patient with insulin-dependent diabetes was studied. In previous observations PMN from these patients revealed the serum-related defect of bacterial killing. The preincubation of cells with standard dose of TFX significantly increased ingestion rate and recovered the bactericidal capacity to normal values.

Studies on natural cytotoxicity of human monocytes in viral hepatitis.

Studies on natural cytotoxicity of peripheral blood monocytes were conducted in patients with acute viral hepatitis B, patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis etiopathogenically linked to viral hepatitis B, and in asymptomatic carriers of HBs antigen. In the majority of cases of viral hepatitis in the acute stage of the disease and in patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis a significant reduction in the examined function of monocytes was noted which became normalized during convalescence. Results obtained for HBs antigen carriers did not differ from those obtained for normal blood donors.

Studies on pokeweed mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation in viral hepatitis.

Lymphocyte reactivity to pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was examined in patients with acute viral hepatitis type B and in patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis etiopathogenically linked with hepatitis type B virus (HBV). The proportion of cells containing immunoglobulins in their cytoplasm was normal in PWM-stimulated lymphocyte cultures, originating from patients at an acute stage of viral hepatitis but was significantly lowered in the cases of chronic hepatitis. The findings were interpreted as a result of long term in vivo induction of lymphocyte proliferation which would restrict the in vitro reactivity of the lymphocytes to PWM.

Studies on leukocyte migration inhibitory factor production by T lymphocytes in viral hepatitis.

The response of peripheral blood T lymphocytes to concanavalin A (Con A) assessed by the production of leukocyte migration inhibitory factor (LMIF), was studied in patients with acute viral hepatitis type B and in patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis carrying hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Lymphocytes from patients in the acute period of the disease and in severely active chronic aggressive hepatitis showed the ability to respond by LMIF production while lymphocytes from patients with moderately active chronic aggressive hepatitis were unable to do so. In parallel, it was shown that lymphocytes from the latter group of patients were capable of suppressing Con-A induced LMIF production.

Cell-mediated immunity in response to HBs antigen.

The response of peripheral blood leukocytes to purified HBsAg was studied in vitro by means of the leukocyte migration test in patients with acute viral hepatitis B, patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis carrying GBsAg, and in asymptomatic carriers of HBs antigen. In the acute period of the disease no leukocyte migration inhibition could be observed. Patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis also frequently failed to develop cell-mediated immunity to HBsAg.