Effects of thymomimetic drugs and zinc supplementation on the cellular immune response in hydrocortisone-suppressed mice.

The studies were carried out on Balb/c mice (5-6 weeks of age) exposed to immunosuppression by a single intraperitoneal dose (125 mg/kg) of hydrocortisone. Prior to hydrocortisone injection the mice were treated with diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) intra-peritoneally at a dose of 20 mg/kg, five times at 48 h intervals or calf thymus extract (TFX) at a dose of 10 mg/kg, 10 times at 24 h intervals. The two drugs were used per se or in zinc ions interactions, by adding zinc ions (as sulphate salt) to drinking water at a dose of 72 microg/mouse per day.

The effect of a peat-based preparation on mitogen-induced proliferation of thymocytes in non-treated and hydrocortisone-suppressed mice.

The studies were carried out on Balb/c mice (5-6 weeks of age) treated with a peat-based preparation (PBP), administered i.p. once or four times at 24 h intervals at doses of 0.

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.

Modulation of secondary antibody response in SRBC-immunized mice by lysozyme dimer.

The effect of lysozyme dimer (20 micrograms/kg) injected i.p. once or four times to sheep erythrocytes-immunized mice on the secondary humoral response was studied with respect to the time of exposure to the drug in relation to priming and challenge.

The effect of DTC on mitogen-induced proliferation of thymocytes in restrained mice. Comparison with calf thymus extract.

The cardinal sign of acute stress is thymic involution, which subsequently attenuates the activity of immunocompetent cells, notably T-lymphocytes, macrophages and NK cells. Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC), a low molecular weight sulphur compound, may function as a thymic hormone to induce precursor cells to become functionally mature T-lymphocytes. The studies were conducted on Balb/c mice exposed to restraint stress twice for 12 h at 24 h intervals.

Effect of DTC on humoral response of SRBC-immunized mice exposed to restraint stress. Comparison with calf thymus extract.

The studies were conducted on Balb/c mice exposed to restraint stress twice for 12 h at 24 h intervals. Some of the experimental mice were immunized i.p.

Modulating effect of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate on neutrophils in normal, febrile and cold-stressed rabbits.

The studies were conducted on normal, febrile and cold-stressed rabbits. Fever was induced by a single intravenous injection of 1 micrograms/kg of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Effect of mechlorethamine on SRBC-induced secondary antibody response in mice.

The effect of low-dose mechlorethamine (5 micrograms/kg) on secondary humoral response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), depending on time of exposure to the drug in relation to priming and challenge was studied in Balb/c mice. It was found that mechlorethamine in a dose of 5 micrograms/kg stimulated primary humoral response to SRBC resulting in the increased number of the plaque forming cells (PFC) and hemagglutinin titre (19S + 7S). However, this effect waned 10 days after immunization.

Effects of levamisole, DTC and low-dose mechlorethamine on humoral response of SRBC-immunized rabbits exposed to cold stress.

The experiments were carried out on normothermal rabbits and rabbits exposed to cold stress (hypothermia). The animals of the latter group were submerged in ice-water for 20 s and then placed in a freezer at -15 degrees C for 8 min until their body temperature dropped by 3 degrees C. Both the normothermal and hypothermal rabbits were immunized i.

The effect of DTC on humoral response restoration and thymocyte subpopulations in cyclophosphamide-immunosuppressed mice.

The effects of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) on humoral response to SRBC and restoration of the response impaired by a single cyclophosphamide dose (200 mg/kg) were tested on mice. Moreover, the effect of DTC (20 mg/kg) on thymocyte subpopulations was tested on non-immunized mice previously treated with cyclophosphamide. It was found that DTC (20 mg/kg) administered to the immunized mice enhanced humoral response to SRBC, which was reflected in the increased number of PFC and (7S) serum hemagglutinin titer.

Modulation of humoral response in rats by levamisole, mechlorethamine and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate.

The effects of levamisole (LMS) (2.5 mg/kg), mechlorethamine (MCHT) (5 or 600 micrograms/kg) and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) (20 mg/kg) on primary humoral response of SRBC immunized rats were investigated. Each drug mentioned potentiates the primary humoral response to SRBC by increasing the number of plaque forming cells (PFC) and the level of anti-SRBC antibodies.

Restoration of cyclophosphamide-suppressed primary immune response in mice by Tołpa Peat Preparation (TPP)--comparison with calf thymus extract.

In order to induce pharmacological immunosuppression in Balb/c mice, the animals were given cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally, 200 mg/kg 144 hours or 24 hours prior to SRBC immunization. Tołpa Peat Preparation (TPP) was administered in doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg on the day of immunization and then every 24 hours for 3 consecutive days. It was given both to mice cyclophosphamide-treated and non-treated.

The dose-dependent effect of Tołpa Peat Preparation on the humoral response of mice immunized with sheep erythrocytes.

The Balb/c strain mice were immunized by single intraperitoneal administration of 0.2 cm3 of 10% sheep erythrocyte suspension (SRBC). Tołpa Peat Preparation (TPP) used in the study was a peat-derived substance obtained in prof.

The influence of long-term administration of Tołpa Peat Preparation on immune reactivity in mice. III. The effect on primary humoral response to sheep erythrocytes.

Tołpa Peat Preparation (TPP) was administered to mice in daily doses of 1, 10 and 50 mg.kg-1 for 3, 5, 7, 9 or 12 consecutive weeks. After each of the above mentioned periods the primary response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) was examined by determination of the percentage of splenocytes forming E rosettes, the number of splenocytes producing anti-SRBC haemolysins of 19S and 7S type, and the level of serum haemagglutinins to SRBC (19S + 7S and 7S types).

The influence of long-term administration of Tołpa Peat Preparation on immune reactivity in mice. II. The effect of intermittent TPP administration on the morphological picture of lymphatic organs.

The studies were conducted on 200 Balb/c mice (inbred strain), aged 8 weeks. The mice were administered Tołpa Peat Preparation (TPP) in drinking water (10 or 50 mg/kg/day) for seven weeks (experiment I). Two lobes of the thymus, the spleen and the axillary and mesenteric lymph nodes of mice were taken for histological examinations after 3, 5 and 7 weeks of continuous TPP treatment and also 12 and 16 weeks from the beginning of the treatment.

The effect of Tołpa Peat Preparation on the phagocytic and metabolic activity of neutrophils in normothermic rabbits and with pyrogen-induced fever.

The studies on normothermic rabbits show that intravenous administration of Tołpa Peat Preparation (TPP) at a dose of 5 mg/kg for 3 or 6 consecutive days increases the percentage of phagocytizing cells and the number of bacteria phagocytized by a single neutrophil. The stimulated phagocytic activity of neutrophils coincides with increased nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction. In contrast, a single administration of TPP to rabbits with fever induced by E.

Stimulatory effect of low doses of mechlorethamine on humoral response of ovalbumin-immunized rabbits--comparison with levamisole.

The effect of low doses of mechlorethamine (1-10 micrograms/kg) and levamisole (2.5 mg/kg) on humoral response of rabbits immunized twice with ovalbumin (0.1 mg/kg) was compared.

Responses of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the cold stress: effects of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs.

The cold stress induced in rabbits by lowering their body temperature by 3 degrees C resulted in neutrophilia and a decrease in number of phagocytes and phagocytized bacteria. The stress did not affect the number of lymphocytes and the ability of forming E rosettes by T lymphocytes, but depressed the formation of EAC rosettes by B lymphocytes. This inhibition of neutrophil activity was antagonized completely by acetylsalicylic acid, and substantially by mefenamic acid and indomethacin administered, in doses inhibiting pyrogen-induced fever, either 2.

The dose-dependent influence of mechloretamine on the response to sheep erythrocytes in mice. Comparison of immunostimulating properties of mechloretamine with levamisole.

The effect of the following doses of mechloretamine: 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250 and 500 micrograms/kg on the immunological response in mice immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was investigated. The number of plaque forming cells (PFC) to SRBC, the serum hemagglutinins level and the number of lymphocytes forming E or EAC-rosettes were determined. Depending on mechloretamine dose the following effects on the tested parameters were obtained: (i) only stimulating--1 and 5 micrograms/kg, (ii) stimulating or suppressive according to the test--10-100 micrograms/kg, (iii) only suppressive--250 and 500 micrograms/kg.

[Immunomodulating effects of low doses of nitrogen mustard derivatives].

Chlormethine (Nitrogen mustard) in small doses proved to have immunopotentiating and anti-inflammatory activities. The influence of two nitrogen mustard derivatives : chlorambucil (1 or 10 micrograms/kg p.o.

Influence of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs on lymphocyte subpopulation and on the primary humoral response in normothermic and feverish rabbits.

Rabbit peripheral blood was tested for the ratio of T and B lymphocytes and for the number of plaque forming cells (PFC) on day 5 and 6 after immunization with sheep erythrocytes. Fever was induced by intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of E. coli.

Pyrogenic fever and blood plasma glucocorticoids after nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs.

Rabbits were injected with the lipopolysaccharide from E. coli (LPS) and received orally nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): acetylsalicylic acid, indomethacin, mefenamic acid, ibuprofen, aminophenazone, metamizole sodium, and phenylbutazone. These NSAIDs exerted antipyretic action without inhibiting the increase in the level of plasma glucocorticoids induced by LPS.

Inhibition of postpyrogenic increase of phagocytic and killing activity of neutrophils by nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs.

Acetylsalicylic acid (300 mg/kg), mefenamic acid (30 mg/kg) or indomethacin (20 mg/kg) given orally in the doses preventing the postpyrogenic fever, inhibited the stimulatory effect of LPS on phagocytic and killing activity of neutrophils. The dose of acetylsalicylic acid that did not eliminate fever in rabbits (100 mg/kg), had no suppressive effect upon fever-stimulated killing activity of neutrophils. The drugs administered twice a day to normothermic animals did not evoke any suppressive changes in the activity of neutrophils.

Effect of copper-dextran complex (C-79) on the immunity indices in normothermic rabbits and in postpyrogenic fever.

The complex combination of bivalent copper with 3-mercapto-2-hydroxypropyl ether of dextran (preparation C-79) was intravenously injected to normothermic rabbits in the doses 0.04 mg/kg, 0.4 mg/kg and 0.

Migration of isolated rabbit lymphocytes in the course of pharmacological inhibition of pyrogenic fever.

The studies concerned in vitro migration of peripheral blood lymphocytes of rabbits given intravenously one dose of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and antipyretic doses of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), indomethacin (IND) or mefenamic acid (MEFA). In normothermic animals, ASA appeared to inhibit in vitro the spontaneous migration of lymphocytes.