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Biomedical subjects

L Chedid

Publications and source records attributed to L Chedid.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Prevention of endotoxin-induced abortion by treatment of mice with antisera.

Small amounts of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), usually extracted from smooth organisms, have previously been shown to interrupt pregnancy in mice. The findings reported here demonstrate that LPS obtained from rough bacterial strains were also abortifacient. Moreover, lipid A, which represents a common toxic structure of LPS in many species of gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae, had the same activity, whereas the nontoxic polysaccharide moiety did not affect pregnancy. Our data also showed that specific bacterial antisera raised in various animal species protected pregnant mice from the abortifacient effect of smooth or rough LPS, and that this activity disappeared after absorption of the antisera with homologous bacteria. Nevertheless, antibodies to lipid A protected pregnant female mice challenged with lipid A or even with LPS extracted from various organisms. Moreover, pregnant mice treated with both antiserum and an antiserotonin compound were protected more effectively against LPS-induced abortion than mice treated with either substance alone.

Abortion, Induced↗

In vivo and in vitro stimulation of nonspecific immunity by the beta-D-p-aminophenyl glycoside of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine and an oligomer prepared by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde.

Several biological activities of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP for muramyl dipeptide), a synthetic immunoadjuvant, are inhibited after glycosidation with p-aminophenol. Thus, this glycoside does not induce an increase humoral antibody response in mice when injected in saline, although it retains its stimulatory effect on circulating antibodies and delayed hypersensitivity after administration in a water-in-oil emulsion. The capacity of MDP to stimulate mouse spleen cells is lost, and, moreover, the analogue is unable to increase nonspecific resistance to infection under conditions where MDP is active. After cross-linking of the beta-D-p-aminophenyl glycoside of MDP with glutaraldehyde, several biological activities of MDP are recovered. Moreover, the cross-linked oligomer (molecular weight, approximately 6,000 daltons) is able to stimulate the uptake of thymidine by spleen cells from a strain of mice weakly responsive to MDP and is more active than MDP in protecting mice against bacterial challenge.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

The pyrogenicity of the synthetic adjuvant muramyl dipeptide and two structural analogues.

The pyrogenic efect of the synthetic adjuvant N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine-D-isoglutamine, also known as muramyl dipeptide (MDP), was studied in rabbits. MDP induced biphasic fevers in rabbits, but two structural analogues, N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine-D-glutamic acid (MDPA) and the dimethylester of MDPA, were 10 times less pyrogenic. This finding was supported by studies in which MDP and its analogues released leukocytic pyrogen (LP) from rabbit phagocytic cells in vitro. In addition, MDP released LP from human phagocytes. Human phagocytes, however, required a 10-fold greater concentration of MDP than did rabbit cells. The structural analogues were similarly less effective than the parent molecule in releasing LP from human cells. All preparations of MDP were negative in the limulus amebocyte lysate test and failed to show pyrogenic cross-tolerance with bacterial endotoxin. Thus MDP, which is a pyrogenic molecule, is also able to release LP from rabbit phagocytes and to a lesser degree from human phagocytes, but does not cause gelation of limulus amebocyte lysate.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

Induction of interferon synthesis in mice by fractions from Nocardia.

Three fractions of Nocardia, Nocardia water-soluble mitogen (NWSM), Nocardia water-soluble mitogen pellet (NWSMP), and the cell wall peptidoglycan, which are mitogenic for B lymphocytes, were able to induce circulating interferon in mice, NWSMP and NWSM being the most active. The peak of interferon appeared about 2 h after injection. The interferon induced by NSWMP and NWSM was acid stable and antigenically related to viral interferon, as shown by neutralization with antibodies directed against Newcastle disease virus-induced interferon.

Animals↗

Nonspecific immunostimulant activities of synthetic trehalose-6,6'-diesters (lower homologs of cord factor).

Mycobacterial cord factors (6,6'-diesters of trehalose with mycolic acids ranging from C80 to C90) have been shown to protect mice effectively against infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae or with Listeria monocytogenes. Our present findings indicate that the low-molecular-weight cord factor of Corynebacterium diphtheriae (with corynomycolic acids ranging from C28 PTO C36) is equally active. Moreover, its synthetic analog (with synthetic C32 mycolic acid) has the same activity. Two lower synthetic 6,6'-diesters of trehalose with C22 acids, which are described here for the first time, as well as dipalmitate and a dioleate of sucrose, were found inactive. The synthetic C76 trehalose diesters, which are capable of enhancing nonspecific resistance to infection, increase the immune response in mice, even when injected in metabolizable oil. They induce in the injected paws an inflammatory process weaker and more transient than the natural cord factor.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Enhancement of carrier-specific helper T cell function by the synthetic adjuvant, N-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP).

The adjuvant effect of a synthetic peptidoglycan, muramyl dipeptide (N-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, MDP), was studied by using the anti-Tnp PFC and hemagglutinin responses of BALB/c mice to hapten-carrier conjugates. Administration of Tnp-OVA and MDP in saline to mice, followed 2 weeks later by a boost of Tnp-OVA in saline, led to significantly higher IgM and IgG anti-Tnp PFC and total anti-Tnp-hemagglutinin responses than those obtained in mice not treated with MDP in the initial immunization. A similar adjuvant effect by MDP on anti-hapten PFC responses was seen if mice were primed with KLH together with MDP and challenged with Tnp-KLH 2 weeks later. This apparent effect on carrier priming for helper function was confirmed and quantitated by double adoptive transfer experiments with graded numbers of spleen cells from KLH +/- MDP-primed mice and a fixed number of hapten-primed spleen cells from syngeneic Tnp-OVA immunized animals. These data suggest that at least one mode of action of the synthetic adjuvant MDP is via the enhanced stimulation of the helper T cell function.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Stimulation of an enhanced in vitro immune response by a synthetic adjuvant, muramyl dipeptide.

Various subcellular bacterial fractions are known to enhance immune responses and serve as potent adjuvants. Muramyl dipeptide (MDP), a synthetic adjuvant mimicking a component of mycobacterial cell walls, enhances humoral immunity to soluble antigens and can increase macrophage cytotoxicity toward mastocytoma cells in vitro. In the present study MDP was found to enhance the hemolytic antibody plaque response of normal mouse spleen cells in vitro to SRBC at a level equal to or greater than that induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, MDP was found to enhance the antibody response to SRBC nonspecifically in unimmunized spleen cell cultures, suggesting that similar to LPS the synthetic dipeptide may induce a generalized clonal expansion of committed lymphocytes and thus serve as a "polyclonal activator." MDP also enhanced the immune responsiveness of normal splenocytes to suboptimum concentrations of SRBC, indicating that this material may be useful in enhancing immunity in situations where there would normally be a poor immune response.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Absence of binding of MDP, a synthetic immunoadjuvant, to anti-peptidoglycan antibodies.

The binding of the synthetic immunoadjuvant N-acetyl-muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP, for muramyl dipeptide) to human and rabbit sera containing peptidoglycan (PG) antibodies was investigated. Studies were performed by employing the corresponding 14C or 125I-labeled compounds in Farr-type binding and inhibition assays. Whereas MDP did not react with naturally occurring or experimentally induced PG-antibodies, the analog of MDP MDP-L-Lys-D-Ala did bind to hyperimmune rabbit anti-PG sera, but not to the human sera tested. These studies indicate that the radioimmunoassays employed basically are applicable for the selection of nonimmumogenic MDP analogs possessing immunoadjuvant activity.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

Influence of a synthetic adjuvant (MDP) on qualitative and quantitative changes of serum globulins.

Administered to guinea-pig, a synthetic compound, N-acetyl-muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP), has been previously shown to substitute for Mycobacteria in Freund's complete adjuvant. Moreover, MDP increases the humoral immune response even when administered in an aqueous solution to mice. In the present report, it was demonstrated that administered to guinea-pig in a water-in-oil emulsion, MDP or active analogues favoured the production of IgG2 antibodies against ovalbumin. In contrast, derivatives of MDP which had no adjuvant activity failed to induce this particular class of immunoglobulins. MDP without antigen, in contrast with LPS or FCA, did not induce changes in immunoglobulin levels in mice. Administered in mice with an antigen, MDP induces an increase of IgG1 although the immunoglobulin levels are lower than those observed after immunization with adjuvants injected in a water-in-oil emulsion.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

[Increase in the non-specific resistance to infection in mice after oral administration of 2 synthetic glycopeptides with adjuvant activity].

Two synthetic glycopeptides (MurNAc-L-Ala-D-isoGln and MurNAc-L-Ala-D-Glu), having adjuvant activity, were shown to enhance non-specific resistance to infection against K. pneumoniae. These compounds were active by various routes including oral administration and even if administered after the challenge. Two steroisomers lacking adjuvant activity did not protect the infected Mice.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Immunological defect and its correction in the osteopetrotic mutant rat.

Congenital osteopetrosis in the mutant rat "op" is accompanied by early atrophy of the thymus gland. The response of thymocytes to concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin P was greatly diminished at age 28 days, even before pronounced thymic atrophy could be detected. The response of spleen cells to mitogens that stimulate thymus-derived (T) and bone-marrow-derived (B) cells was diminished as early as 35 days of age. A single injection of a suspension of normal bone marrow, which cures osteopetrosis, increased thymus weight and restored the normal responses of both thymus and spleen to various mitogens. These results add further support to the hypothesis that the thymus is involved in the pathogenesis of osteopetrosis.

Age Factors↗

Enhancement of nonspecific immunity to Klebsiella pneumoniae infection by a synthetic immunoadjuvant (N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine) and several analogs.

N-Acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine and four other synthetic adjuvants that are structural analogs of part of the mycobacterial peptidoglycan monomer are shown to enhance the nonspecific immunity of mice infected by Klebsiella pneumoniae. These compounds are active by various routes, including oral administration; they are also effective when administered after challenge. Of the seventeen other analogs tested, none is able to increase significantly resistance to infection, although seven of these molecules are adjuvant-active in saline. Previous results have shown that in contrast to lipopolysaccharides, these synthetic adjuvants are devoid of immunogenicity, mitogenicity, and toxicity in normal or adrenalectomized mice.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗