The studies were conducted on Balb/c mice exposed to restraint stress twice for 12 h at 24 h intervals. Prior to restraint stress the mice were treated with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) i.p. at a dose of 20 mg/kg five times at 48 h intervals. DTC was used per se or with zinc ions interaction, by adding zinc sulfate to drinking water at a dose of 72 microgram/mouse daily. The results obtained in the study show that restraint stress causes involution of lymphatic organs, decreased the percentage of immature (CD4+CD8+) and, mature (CD4+) thymocytes and CD4+, CD8+and CD19 + splenocytes and proliferative response of thymocytes stimulated in vitro with concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA). The restraint stress decreased also interleukin-1 (IL-1) production by murine intraperitoneal macrophages stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli. Pretreatment with DTC counteracted restraint stress-induced immunosuppression, which is expressed as partial normalisation of the total number of thymocytes, splenocytes and IL-1 production, accelerated regeneration of thymus and spleen, shorter suppressive action of restraint stress on the percentage of CD4+CD8+thymocytes and in total normalisation of the CD4+thymocytes and splenocytes. DTC administered prior to restraint stress augmented the proliferative response of thymocytes to two mitogens. The immunocorrecting action of DTC is enhanced by zinc supplementation, expressed in the increased percentage of CD4+thymocytes and splenocytes, CD19 + splenocytes, proliferative activity of thymocytes stimulated with PHA and IL-1 production. The obtained results show that DTC administration can be supplemented with zinc in order to restore the immune system impaired by stress.
Adjuvants, Immunologic/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Ditiocarb/*pharmacology ; Female ; Immunity, Cellular/*drug effects ; Interleukin-1/biosynthesis ; Macrophages, Peritoneal/immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mitogens/biosynthesis ; Organ Size/drug effects ; Restraint, Physical ; Spleen/cytology/drug effects ; Stress/etiology/*immunology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets/drug effects ; Thymus Gland/cytology/drug effects ; Zinc Sulfate/*pharmacology

This study examined the subsets of T lymphocytes in the thymus, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes as well as the subsets of B lymphocytes in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes in mice administered chitosan adipate (20 mg/kg) intraperitoneally once or four times at 24 h intervals. The results showed that chitosan adipate decreased the percentage of immature CD4+CD8+ thymic T cells and increased the percentage of mature CD4+ and CD8+ thymocytes. The most significant stimulating effect was observed after four injections. A single exposure to chitosan adipate increased the percentage of CD4+ mesenteric lymph node cells, but four injections of the drug increased the percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ mesenteric lymph node cells. Chitosan adipate had no effect on the subset of splenic T cells. In contrast, chitosan adipate administered either once or four times increased the percentage of CD19+ splenocytes but had no effect on the percentage of CD19+ mesenteric lymph node cells. Overall, chitosan adipate induces the maturation and differentiation of thymocytes, and regulates the number of B splenic cells and lymph node T cells irrespective of the number of doses.
Animals ; B-Lymphocyte Subsets/*drug effects/metabolism ; Chitosan/*analogs&derivatives/*pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Immunologic Factors/pharmacology ; Lymphoid Tissue/drug effects/metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets/*drug effects/metabolism