A study was performed to investigate the effects of exercise and Spirulina platensis (SPL) intake on the hapten specific immune response of growing mice.
Male BALB/C mice aged five weeks were divided into 6 groups : Group A was a control group given a normal diet ; group B, sedentary with a normal diet ; group C, exercise with a normal diet ; group D, control with SPL diet ; group E, sedentary with a SPL diet ; group F, exercise with a SPL diet. The mice in groups C and F were trained by swimming for about 30 min 4 times a week for 5 weeks. The SPL diet was a mixture of SPL (20%) and the normal diet (80%) . At 4 weeks after the experiment, the mice belonging to groups B, C, E and F were sensitized with 1% toluene-2, 4-diisocyanate (TDI) . Five days after sensitization, TDI was painted on the ears of the mice, and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) was evaluated by measuring the ear thickness at 24 h later as an index. After this evaluation, the body weights of the mice, the weights of the thymus and spleen, and serum TDI-specific IgG antibody levels as an index of humoral immunity, were measured.
In the mormal diet groups, the highest DTH reaction was shown in the exercise group, followed by the sedentary group. On the other hand, the DTH reactions in the SPL diet groups were significantly suppressed in both the sedentary and exercise groups. However, a slightly higher DTH reaction was shown in the exercise group than in the sedentary group. Body weights of mice in the exercise groups receiving both the normal and SPL diets were suppressed in comparison with the control and sedentary groups. Although increased spleen weights were shown in all the sensitized groups, thymus weights in the 6 groups were not changed. TDI-specific IgG antibody levels were also not changed in any of the TDI sensitized groups.
From these results, the SPL diet seemed to effectively suppress the DTH reaction, and might be effective for treatment of various types of contact hypersensitivity which are currently the focus of clinical attention.

A study was performed to investigate the effects of exercise and Spirulina platensis (SPL) intake on the hapten specific immune response of growing mice.
Male BALB/C mice aged five weeks were divided into 6 groups : Group A was a control group given a normal diet ; group B, sedentary with a normal diet ; group C, exercise with a normal diet ; group D, control with SPL diet ; group E, sedentary with a SPL diet ; group F, exercise with a SPL diet. The mice in groups C and F were trained by swimming for about 30 min 4 times a week for 5 weeks. The SPL diet was a mixture of SPL (20%) and the normal diet (80%) . At 4 weeks after the experiment, the mice belonging to groups B, C, E and F were sensitized with 1% toluene-2, 4-diisocyanate (TDI) . Five days after sensitization, TDI was painted on the ears of the mice, and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) was evaluated by measuring the ear thickness at 24 h later as an index. After this evaluation, the body weights of the mice, the weights of the thymus and spleen, and serum TDI-specific IgG antibody levels as an index of humoral immunity, were measured.
In the mormal diet groups, the highest DTH reaction was shown in the exercise group, followed by the sedentary group. On the other hand, the DTH reactions in the SPL diet groups were significantly suppressed in both the sedentary and exercise groups. However, a slightly higher DTH reaction was shown in the exercise group than in the sedentary group. Body weights of mice in the exercise groups receiving both the normal and SPL diets were suppressed in comparison with the control and sedentary groups. Although increased spleen weights were shown in all the sensitized groups, thymus weights in the 6 groups were not changed. TDI-specific IgG antibody levels were also not changed in any of the TDI sensitized groups.
From these results, the SPL diet seemed to effectively suppress the DTH reaction, and might be effective for treatment of various types of contact hypersensitivity which are currently the focus of clinical attention.