Effect of T-activin on peripheral immunity organs in intact and thymectomized mice

Morphometry of the spleen, axillary lymph nodes and cytological assay of the bone marrow and peripheral blood were performed in (CBA X C57BL)F1 mice 1, 5, 10 and 15 days after subcutaneous injection of 0.5 microgram T-activin to intact and thymectomized (when adult) mice 2 months after operation. It was demonstrated that in intact animals, injection of T-activin stimulated the whole system of immunogenesis. The time course of plasmatization and the response of the germinative centers differing from that seen during antigen administration suggests that T-activin is not immunogenous, acting as a stimulant of the previous immune responses. The permanent amount of the degenerating cells attests to the lack of the toxic drug effect.     

Effect of highly purified thymus factor on the cellular and humoral indices of immunity in thymectomized mice]

Effect of homogeneous polypeptide thymus factor of mol weight about 5000 (thymarin-III) on cellular and humoral immune responses of thymectomized adult CBA mice was studied. Thymectomy proved to greatly decrease the number of T-cells in the spleen. Accordingly, the capability of these mice to produce both IgM and IgG antibody-forming cells in response to the thymus-dependent antigen (sheep red blood cells) was significantly depressed. Subcutaneous injections of thymarin-III (1 microgram per g of body weight) for 7 days completely restored the T-cell spleen population and normalized the animals' immune response.     

Effect of antibiotics on indices of immunologic reactivity in mice

The effect of ristomycin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, benzylpenicillin, streptomycin, and cephaloridine on the indices of cellular and humoral immunity was studied comparatively on intact animals and on animals with secondary immune deficiency. The study of the antibiotic effect on the count of rosette-forming lymphocytes (RFL) and the total count of lymphocytes showed that all the antibiotics except streptomycin induced a significant decrease in the count of RFL. The most active was kanamycin. It lowered the count of RFL 5-fold as compared to the control. The total count of lymphocytes was lowered after administration of ristomycin, chloramphenicol and kanamycin. In the animals with immune deficiency induced by cyclophosphamide benzylpenicillin potentiated the inhibitory effect of cyclophosphamide on the weight of the lymphoid organs, while streptomycin lowered the effect of cyclophosphamide. No such effect was observed with the use of the other antibiotics. The data indicated the necessity of taking into account the effect of various antibiotics on the immune system, especially under conditions of immune deficiency.     

Effect of purine derivatives on regeneration and the immunologic reactivity of animals]

The effect of azathioprine and of KI-7 (the new purine derivative) on the immunogenesis and regeneration in mammals was studied comparatively, KI-7 with a lesser toxicity than azathioprine proved to suppress the synthesis of antibodies to the SRBC in mice in case of administration of the preparation one day before or on the day of immunization; it also considerably prolonged the survival of skin allografts in rabbits in comparison with control. At the same time it was shown that under conditions of suppression of the immunogenesis system hepatic regeneration did occur in rats, but the correlation of the proliferation processes and cellular hypertrophy differed from that under ordinary restoration conditions, depending on the immunodepressor used. Thus, in difference from azathioprine, KI-7 not only inhibited the mitotic activity of the regenerating liver, but even stimulated it somewhat.     

Effect of new antihistaminic preparations on the body's immunologic reactivity

The effect of new antihistaminic drugs, phencarol and bicarphen, on immunologic reactivity of experimental animals was studied in comparison with diphenhydramine. Phencarol and bicarphen inhibited the delayed type allergic reactions to a greater degree than diphenydramine. Unlike diphenhydramine, phencarol and bicarphen injected simultaneously with test-antigen markedly decreased the number of rosette-forming lymphocytes in the immunocompetent organs (spleen, thymus, lymph nodes). Phencarol, bicarphen and diphenhydramine produced the same inhibitory effect on the content of antibody-producing cells in the spleen of mice.     

Effect of experimental cefuroxime on the immunologic reactivity of the body

The effect of ketocef or cefuroxim, a new cephalosporin antibiotic, on the immune system was studied on mice. The repeated use of the drug for 10 days a dose of 30 mg/kg injected intramuscularly did not result in suppression of the immune status. The number of the rosette forming cells of the thymus and spleen did not change. The production of hemolysin as shown by the number of the antibody forming cells somewhat increased, when the animals were immunized with the sheep red blood cells. A certain decrease in the intensity of the anaphylactic reaction was observed in sensitization of the animals with bovine serum.