The objective of this study was to explore the immunomodulatory effects of betulinic acid (BA) extracted from the bark of white birch on mice. Female mice were orally administered BA for 14 days in doses of 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg body weight. We found that BA significantly enhanced the thymus and spleen indices, and stimulated lymphocyte proliferation induced by Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide as shown by MTT assay. Flow cytometry revealed that BA increased the percentage of CD4+ cells in thymus as well as the percentage of CD19+ and the ratios of CD4+/CD8+ in spleen. BA increased the number of plaque-forming cell and macrophage phagocytic activity as indicated by a neutral red dye uptake assay, and the peritoneal macrophages levels of TNF-alpha were also increased. In contrast, serum levels of IgG and IgM and serum concentrations of IL-2 and IL-6 were significantly decreased in BA-treated mice compared to the control as assayed by haemagglutination tests and ELISA, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that BA enhances mouse cellular immunity, humoral immunity, and activity of macrophages. Thus, BA is a potential immune stimulator and may strengthen the immune response of its host.
Adaptive Immunity/*drug effects ; Animals ; Betula/*chemistry ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Cytokines/blood ; Female ; Immunity, Innate/*drug effects ; Immunologic Factors/*pharmacology ; Macrophages/drug effects ; Mice ; Phagocytosis/drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Spleen/cytology ; Thymus Gland/cytology ; Triterpenes/*pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether cellular immunity and humoral immunity are involved in trichlorethylene (TCE)-induced mixed allergy, then provide the scientific basis for the mechanism of this disease.

METHODSGuinea pigs and rats were tested for this study by application of guinea pig maximization test (GPMT), the animals were randomly divided into negative control, positive control and TCE treatment groups. Animals of these groups were administrated with olive oil, 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), and TCE, respectively, by intradermal injection. After TCE administration, rat peripheral blood samples were collected by flow cytometry to detect lymphocytes CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺. Guinea pig peripheral blood samples were collected to detect the levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, and the spleens were taken out from guinea pigs after various treatment, mRNA expression of GATA3, T-bet, CTLA4 and Foxp3 in lymphocytes of guinea pig spleen was detected by real-time fluorescent PCR assay. Additionally, TCE allergic dermatitis patients were selected for the study, the peripheral blood samples were collected from the TCE patients group and control group, quantitative PCR was applied to detect mRNA expression of immune-related genes Foxp3, GATA3, CTLA4, T-bet.

RESULTSTCE induced obvious skin allergic reaction in guinea pigs, the sensitization rate was 83.3%, IgG levels in TCE group and positive control increased significantly. Additionally, mRNA expression levels of GATA3, T-bet, CTLA4 significantly elevated in TCE group and positive control, but Foxp3 mRNA levels decreased. The lymphocytes CD3⁺ ratio in TCE group and positive control of rats was higher than that in negative control, we found that there was no statistical difference of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ between TCE group and negative control of rats. The mRNA expression levels of Foxp3, GATA3, CTLA4 in TCE patients increased by 115%, 97%, 241%, respectively as compared with the control, T-bet levels decreased by 47%when compared with the control.

CONCLUSIONSTCE could induce obvious changes of cellular immunity and humoral immunity in guinea pigs, rats, and TCE patients, these findings indicated that TCE-induced immunological disorder belongs to the mixed allergy with involvment of cellular immunity and humoral immunity, the mixed allergy might be type IV and type II allergy.

Allergens ; Animals ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunity, Cellular ; drug effects ; Immunity, Humoral ; drug effects ; Lymphocytes ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Spleen ; Trichloroethylene ; toxicity

The effects of the two antipsychotic drugs, chlorpromazine and haloperidol, the focus of this study, on cell-mediated immunity in male ICR mice. The peripheral blood WBC count decreased significantly in both cholorpromazine and haloperidol. The absolute lymphocyte count decreased only in the haloperidol-treated groups. The absolute number of thy-1-bearing cells described in both the chlorpromazine and haloperidol groups, the most remarkable effects evidencing itrself in the booster groups of higher dosage chlorpromazine (15 mg/kg), and lower and higher-dosage haloperidol (1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg). The absolute spleen T-lymphocyte count was decreased significantly in the chlorpromazine higher-dosage booster-dose group and the haloperidol higher-dosage (5 mg/kg) single-dose group and the haloperidol lower and higher-dosage (1 mg/kg and 5mg/kg) booster-dose group. Also, chlorpromazine and haloperidol significantly impaired the in-vitro lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and produced a negative reaction of the delayed-hypersensitivity type induced by BCG vaccination. These findings suggest that chlorpromazine and haloperidol suppress the cellular immune responses in mouse.
Animal ; Antipsychotic Agents/toxicity* ; Immune Tolerance/drug effects ; Immunity, Cellular/drug effects* ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR

This study was purposed to investigate the effects of magnetic nanoparticle of Fe3O4 (Fe3O4-MNPs) on murine immune system. ICR mice were assigned randomly into four groups which were treated with normal saline, low, middle and high dose of MNP-Fe3O4 respectively. The mice were killed after being exposed by intragastric administration for 2 weeks. The ratios of spleen weight to body weight, lymphocyte transformation rate in spleen suspension and phagocytic index of macrophage in abdominal cavity were detected. The results showed that the ratios of spleen weight to body weight in Fe3O4-MNP groups were not significantly different in comparison with the control (p > 0.05). The lymphocyte transformation rate in spleen suspension in Fe3O4-MNP groups were all higher than that in control group (-0.1775 +/- 0.0246), especially in the middle dose group (0.1833 +/- 0.0593) (p < 0.05), and the phagocytic index of macrophages in abdominal cavity of middle dose group (0.2051 +/- 0.0213) was higher than that of control group and other two Fe3O4-MNP group (low dose 0.1538 +/- 0.0100, high dose 0.1511 +/- 0.0184) (p < 0.05). It is concluded that suitable dose of Fe3O4-MNP can enhance the cellular immune activity and phagocytic function of macrophages of mice.
Animals ; Immunity, Cellular ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; Magnetite Nanoparticles ; administration & dosage ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Phagocytosis

In order to reveal the induced resistance mechanism of tobacco treated with copper solution to potato virus Y-vein necrosis strain (PVY(N)), disease indexes, contents of virus and some physiological and biochemical indexes in tobacco were studied. The results showed that when treated at the copper concentration of 0.8 mg x L(-1), the symptom displayed and vein necrosis on tobacco were postponed, the disease index and content of virus sharply decreased , and the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity remarkably increased. Furthermore, vein necrosis closely linked to contents of total phenol and flavonoid. In this study, the contents of total phenol and flavonoid were promoted when treated with a solution at the copper concentration of 0.8 mg x L(-1). But the contents of total phenol and flavonoid reached to the first peak at the 3rd day after inoculation, and then decreased to the lowest levels which even were lower than those of the control after inoculating PVY(N). Then the contents of total phenol and flavonoid increased slowly from the 6td but still lower than those of the control. The result implied that spraying copper solution might play an important role in induced resistance of tobacco to vein necrosis disease and strengthen the antiviral capability to PVY(N).
Chlorophyll ; metabolism ; Copper ; pharmacology ; Immunity, Innate ; drug effects ; Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase ; metabolism ; Potyvirus ; growth & development ; Tobacco ; drug effects ; metabolism ; virology

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of serum complement C and immunoglobulin (Ig) in sensitized guinea pigs exposed to trichloroethylene.

METHODSThirty six white female guinea pigs (250 ∼ 300 g) were randomly divided into blank control group (5 guinea pig), solvent (olive oil) control group (5 guinea pig) and TCE treatment group (26 guinea pig). According to guinea pig maximization test (GPMT), guinea pigs were exposed to TCE. After stimulating contact for 24 h, the skin reactions of guinea pig back test area were recorded and scored. According to Skin sensitization integral, the guinea pigs treated with TCE were divided into the sensitized group (score ≥ 1) and un-sensitized group (score 0). The concentrations of serum C3, C4, IgA, IgG and IgM were detected in 24 and 72 h, respectively after the experiment.

RESULTSThe sensitization rates of group treated by TCE was 65.38%. The serum C3 levels of groups sensitized to TCE for 24 and 73h were 99.75 ± 1.45 and 93.28 ± 3.61g/ml, respectively, which were significantly lower than that (112.30 ± 9.10 g/ml) of solvent control group (P < 0.05). Also The serum C4 levels of groups sensitized to TCE for 24 and 73 h were 34.63 ± 2.53 and 33.82 ± 2.76g/ml, respectively, which were significantly lower than that (43.87 ± 3.65 g/ml) of solvent control group (P < 0.05). The serum IgA and IgM levels of groups sensitized to TCE and unsensitized to TCE for 24 and 72 h were significantly lower than those of solvent group (P < 0.05). as compared with unsensitized groups, the serum IgA levels of the groups sensitized to TCE for 24 and 72 h significantly decreased (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAfter the guinea pig skin was sensitized to TCE, the serum C3, C4 levels decreased, the immune function disordered.

Animals ; Complement System Proteins ; metabolism ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Immunity, Humoral ; drug effects ; Immunoglobulins ; blood ; Skin ; drug effects ; Trichloroethylene ; toxicity

Humans ; Immunity ; drug effects ; physiology ; Infant ; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Nutritional Status ; Vitamin A ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of simazine on selected immune parameters in BALB/c mice.

METHODSSimazine (90, 200, 400 mg/kg) was administrered by oral gavage for 21 days in adult BALB/c mice. The negative control group unith distilled water and positive control group administered with cyclophosphamide in abdominal cavity were also established. After the last simazine dose, the mice were sacrificed, and blood, spleens, and thymuses were collected and processed for detection. The relative weight of spleen and thymus was calculated. The rate of T cell in spleen and the concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IgG and IgM were detected by ELISA.

RESULTSThe weights of mice were decreased in 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg simazine groups. Thymus and spleen weights were decreased in 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg simazine groups compared with the negative control group. The concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IgG and IgM in serum of 200 mg/kg group were (108.50 +/- 3.20) pg/ml, (36.54 +/- 3.36) pg/ml, (46.25 +/- 7.41) μg/ml, (17.58 +/- 2.23) μg/ml respectively;The concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IgG and IgM in serum of 400 mg/kg group were (85.70 +/- 4.00) pg/ml, (35.92 +/- 2.29) pg/ml, (40.08 +/- 6.80) μg/ml, (11.92 +/- 3.23) μg/ml respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). These results were decreased significantly compared with negative group.

CONCLUSIONSimazine can inhibit the cellular immune function and the humoral immune function.

Animals ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Herbicides ; toxicity ; Immunity, Cellular ; drug effects ; Immunity, Humoral ; drug effects ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Simazine ; toxicity ; T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects

Animals ; Antibody-Producing Cells ; drug effects ; Female ; Immunity ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phenols ; toxicity ; T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects

Erxian Tang is a Chinese herbal formula developed for the treatment of menopausal syndrome in women. In the past 50 years, EXT has shown positive efficacy in the treatment of many chronic diseases in TCM, involving syndrome types of Shen yin-yang deficiency, yin-deficiency caused yang-flourishing, and disharmony of Chong-Ren meridian. Experimental studies have revealed that EXT has multiple pharmacological actions on such multiple targets as hypothalamus-pituitary-target gland axis, immune function and free radical metabolism, etc.
Animals ; Biomedical Research ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; drug effects ; Immunity ; drug effects ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Menopause ; drug effects