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PubMedDate not supplied

Immune function during intravenous administration of a soybean oil emulsion.

The effect of a continuous infusion of a soybean oil emulsion on immune function was evaluated in 40 malnourished patients who were randomized to receive preoperatively either a 25% glucose-5% amino acid solution (group G) or a 15% glucose-3.3% Intralipid-5% amino acid solution (group G-F). Average length of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was 10.3 +/- 0.9 days for group G and 9.0 +/- 0.8 days for group G-F. Initial nutritional status and response to TPN were similar for both groups. Immune function was assessed before TPN and after nutritional repletion prior to surgery for each patient. The levels of immunoglobulins, C3, C4, circulating B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes, suppressor T lymphocytes, natural killer cell activity, and monocytes were normal before TPN and after nutritional therapy. However, the total number of T cells and helper T cells were low before TPN and remained so after TPN. In addition, lymphocyte function measured by the lymphocyte blastogenic response to phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen was depressed prior to TPN and was not improved by either regimen. Neutrophil chemotaxis and bactericidal activity were not affected by either nutritional regimen while neutrophil phagocytosis was enhanced before TPN and remained elevated throughout TPN with either regimen. There were no differences in infection rates during TPN. The addition of Intralipid to the TPN regimen did not alter immune function in these patients who showed depressed cell-mediated immunity before TPN compared with the standard glucose TPN regimen.

B-Lymphocytes↗

PubMed1992

Magnesium and immune function: recent findings.

Recent findings regarding roles for magnesium in immunocompetence confirm and extend previous knowledge of its participation in natural and adaptive immunity. The detrimental effects of severe magnesium deficiency have been confirmed. There is better comprehension of how magnesium relates to mechanisms that control cellular activities and regulate interactions among cells that affect immune functions. Insight has been gained into how magnesium status affects susceptibility to physiological disorders, such as cardiomyopathy and cancer, that are exacerbated by inflammation and by the chemical mediators of anaphylaxis. More information is needed about the impact of less severe magnesium deficiency and of supplemental magnesium on indicators of immune function. Future studies should explore interactive relationships between Mg and such nutrients as vitamin D to elucidate more completely the roles that Mg can play in optimizing immune function.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Hepatic metastasis alters the immune function of murine liver nonparenchymal cells.

To examine the effect of a single hepatic focus of metastatic colon tumor on the immune function of liver non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) from C57Bl/6 mice, we injected 2.5 x 10(5) liver-derived murine colon adenocarcinoma (LD-MCA-38) cells beneath the liver capsule. Three weeks following injection of the tumor cells, the immune function of the NPCs was studied. The NPCs from tumor-bearing mice exhibited increased cytotoxic and proliferative activity. The NPCs from tumor-bearing mice also contained a greater percentage of CD8+ and T-cell receptor gamma/delta+ liver-associated T lymphocytes. Levels of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor were increased in the NPC supernatant, and interleukin 6 levels were increased in serum from tumor-bearing mice. We conclude that the presence of a single hepatic focus of metastatic tumor results in augmented immune function of murine liver NPCs.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1991

Effects of subchronic d-fenfluramine on splenic immune functions in young and old male and female Fischer 344 rats.

The present study was designed to demonstrate age- and sex-related differences in immune functions, and to determine whether subchronic elevations in serotonin (5-HT) availability in vivo would alter immune functions assessed subsequently in vitro. Male and female F344 rats (5 and 21 months of age) were administered the 5-HT releaser and reuptake inhibitor, d-fenfluramine (d-Fen), in their drinking water for 30-38 days then killed. The young animals received a higher dose (1.8 mg/kg/day) of d-Fen than the old rats (0.6 mg/kg/day) in order to compensate for age-related decreases in drug biotransformation and clearance. Brain and spleen d-Fen and metabolite concentrations, however, were considerably higher in the young than in the old rats. d-Fen treatment did not affect body weight or fluid intake. Although substantial sex differences in immune function were not discerned, age-related decreases were observed in absolute splenic cellularity, recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) stimulated natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity, LPS stimulated B-cell mitogenesis, and in the level of Ox19 (CD5) positive cells. d-Fen caused an increase in absolute spleen weight and a decrease in absolute splenic cellularity only in the old rats of both sexes. Spleen cells from young male and old female rats receiving d-Fen had relatively more large granular lymphocytes and enhanced baseline and rIL-2 activated killing of YAC-1 cells than their vehicle matched or opposite sex counterparts. The drug also increased Con A-induced T-cell proliferation in young males and LPS induced B-cell proliferation in old females. d-Fen decreased Ox39 (CD25) levels by 19%, but did not affect any of the other phenotypes examined. The results suggest that 5-HT has a selective stimulatory effect on young male and old female NK activity, and that old female rats are more sensitive to the immunological effects of d-Fen than old male rats.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Effect of the emotional state on immune functions: study on firstborn children on the occasion of the birth of a sibling].

The eventuality that a particular emotional involvement could weigh heavily on a person's psychophysical welfare, assuming a complementary role in the appearance of clinically noticeable pathologies (infections, allergies, neoplasms) has been object of several hypotheses which have been confirmed in researches on animals. Our research, by examining an unavoidable and surely natural situation like that one of the birth of a brother for a first born, a particularly severe for what affectivity is concerned, had the aim to evidence if there were some biological expressions, able to quantitatively settle the eventual immune functions' alterations indicative of a preexistent equilibrium. With this purpose have been examined several biological expressions indicative of immune functions (B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, NK cells, lymphocyte transformation, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, C3 Complement fraction) in three first-born children with 2 to 3 years of age, whose mothers had in course a second pregnancy, during a period of about 20 months (from III pregnancy month to XIV month of age of the brother). The evolution of these immune functions evidence, during the whole period of observation, a non univocal performance. In the most of the cases was evidenced a variation towards diminution of the biological expression of some functions (lymphocyte transformation, T3 lymphocytes, T4 lymphocytes, T4/T8 rate, "E" Rosettes, chemotaxis and phagocytosis), while in the case of NK cells there were also variations towards augmentation. Particularly important were the variations towards diminution, that biological expressions as lymphocyte transformation and "E" Rosettes undergo. In two children the variations, towards diminution, showed themselves already before the birth of the brother. The variation of the T3 and T4 lymphocytes, of the T4/T8 rate, of chemotaxis and of phagocytosis were more limited. The values of the other examined biological expressions (T8, B7, C3) were in the normal range during the whole period of observation. Our results let us to attribute to emotional events, as in experimented model, the capacity to affect the biological expression that measures some immune functions, by depressing them in most of the cases, so in way to adulterate the immune equilibrium, and by setting the premises to upset the capability of immune defense in the examined persons. Our observations lead us to think that effectively, an event during which an important emotional state is induced, by upsetting the immune equilibrium, could more predispose a child (in this case the first born) to the action of pathogens.

Birth Order↗

PubMed1986

Reconstitution of in vitro humoral immune function in bone marrow transplant recipients.

The process by which humoral immune function is re-established following bone marrow transplantation was investigated in 50 transplant recipients. The recovery of in vitro-specific antibody production directed at sheep red blood cells was found to proceed through three phases. B cell function and helper T cell function were undetectable in the first phase (encompassing the first 5 months after transplantation), in which only suppressor cells reached functional maturity. Suppressor cells controlled responsiveness in the second phase (encompassing the period 5 to 15 months postgrafting). During this period, B cells and helper T cells became fully responsive; their activity became measurable, however, only after removal of Sephadex G-10-adherent suppressor cells. Normal responsiveness (associated with the loss of excessive suppressor cell activity) was characteristic of the third phase (over 15 months posttransplantation). Particular attention was paid to the role of suppressor cells in the recovery of humoral immune function. Their activity was positively correlated with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), particularly of the chronic type. Suppressor cell activity in the early posttransplant period was predominantly mediated by OKT8-positive T lymphocytes, whereas suppressor cell activity in chronic GVHD patients was predominantly mediated by peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were retained on Sephadex G-10 columns, but did not express OKT8 antigen.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1982

Influence of azathioprine (imuran) on in vitro immune function in multiple sclerosis.

In vitro immune function was assessed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were receiving Imuran therapy, in untreated MS patients, and in controls. In untreated stable MS patients, concanavalin A (Con A)-driven mitogenic reactivity (T effector function) and Con A-induced suppressor activity were modestly reduced compared to controls; pokeweed mitogen-induced immunoglobulin G (IgG) secretion was increased. Untreated patients with active MS demonstrated high levels of IgG secretion and marked decreases in suppressor activity. In Imuran-treated patients, Con A mitogenic responses and suppressor activity were comparable to those observed in untreated stable patients, and IgG secretion was reduced. The results in the treated patients likely reflect a direct effect of Imuran on B cell function rather than an indirect effect mediated via suppressor cells.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1980

T cell immune function in newborn infants.

T cell immune function in 20 newborn infants was investigated. Previous studies showing increased spontaneous transformation and higher 3H-thymidine incorporation at lower PHA concentration in newborn infants were confirmed. A net increase in the number of active E rosette-forming lymphocytes and a slight decrease in the percentage of total E rosette-forming cells was also found. Our results suggest the presence of a subpopulation of activated T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of newborns during the first days of life. Possible mechanisms of this activation are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Restraint stress-induced elevations in plasma corticosterone and beta-endorphin are not accompanied by alterations in immune function.

A variety of stressors activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, thereby resulting in elevated levels of circulating ACTH, beta-endorphin and corticosterone. Since these hormones have been shown previously to alter measures of immune function, we determined whether presentation of a stressor which activates the HPA axis produces a concomitant alteration in immune function. Restraint stress resulted in significantly elevated levels of corticosterone and beta-endorphin without affecting either proliferative or cytolytic activities of lymphocytes. At concentrations similar to those achieved during stress, in vivo, corticosterone exhibited a dose- and time-dependent reduction in both lymphocyte proliferation as well as natural killer cytotoxicity, in vitro. beta-Endorphin, on the other hand, was without direct or modulatory effects. These results indicate that restraint stress-induced activation of the HPA axis occurs without accompanying alterations in immune function.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Preoperative cell-mediated immune function and the prognosis of patients with gastric carcinoma.

The cell-mediated immune function of 83 patients with gastric carcinoma was assessed preoperatively and the results were compared to that of 52 patients with benign lesions. The data were subjected to an analysis in order to evaluate their prognostic significance. The abilities to induce allogeneic cytotoxicity and to produce interleukin 2 (IL2) in patients with stage IV carcinoma were significantly depressed, as compared to those in patients with benign lesions, whereas natural killer (NK) cell activity was not significantly impaired. There was no significant correlation among these immune functions. When the patients were stratified into two groups, those who had high (greater than the mean value in patients with benign lesions) and low (less than the same value) values of these immune reactivities, the survival of patients with high NK activity (greater than or equal to 43%) was significantly better, as compared to that of patients with low cytotoxicity (less than 43%). However, there was no correlation between the survival and allogeneic cytotoxicity in these patients. The high ability to produce IL2 (greater than or equal to 1.3 U/ml) correlated with the better survival in the patients, but not in the group of patients who underwent curative resection.

Cytotoxicity, Immunologic↗

PubMed1992

Relationship of in vitro immune function with health and production in Holstein cattle.

Eighty-seven lactating Holstein cows from the Iowa State University Breeding Research Herd were evaluated for 20 in vitro measures of immune function. Principal component analysis was used to discard redundant assay variables such that the 11 remaining variables were more nearly independent than the original variables. Multiple linear regression in an animal model was used to determine the effects of these 11 variables on lifetime production and on general, under, and reproductive health traits. A significant joint effect of the 11 immune function variables on California mastitis test scores was observed. California mastitis test scores were positively correlated with antibody-dependent neutrophil cytotoxicity and negatively correlated with antibody-independent neutrophil cytotoxicity. Wisconsin mastitis test scores were also positively associated with antibody-dependent neutrophil cytotoxicity. Cytochrome c reduction was negatively associated with mammary and total health costs. A positive relationship between clinical mastitis and discarded milk and IgG2 was observed, and IgG1 was associated with increased quarter California mastitis test scores and increased production. Thus, certain in vitro immune function assays may serve as indicators of susceptibility to health problems in dairy cattle, particularly for traits associated with udder health.

Agglutination Tests↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Improvement in immune function in ICU patients by enteral nutrition supplemented with arginine, RNA, and menhaden oil is independent of nitrogen balance.

Hypermetabolism and multiple organ failure syndrome (MOFS) after trauma, surgery, or sepsis is associated with accelerated catabolism, the rapid onset of malnutrition, and immune system failure. Current nutritional support, enteral or parenteral, can achieve an acceptable nutritional response but appears unable to improve immune function. Nutrients such as arginine, refined menhaden oil, and RNA have been found to have immune-stimulating properties. This randomized blind prospective trial compared two nutritionally complete enteral formulas, one supplemented with arginine, menhaden oil, and RNA, on the disease-specific effects of anergy and suppression of in vitro tests of immune function in intensive-care patients and the nutritional outcome of nitrogen balance. After 7-10 days of enteral nutrition in patients with persistent sepsis syndrome, both formulas were associated with the achievement of net nitrogen retention and improved visceral protein status but with nonresolution of anergy. However, the supplemented formula was associated with marked stimulation of in vitro lymphocyte proliferative responses and a significant reduction in 3-methylhistidine excretion. Six and 12-mo follow-up data demonstrated no long-term effects. Nutrients targeted to effect the disease-induced in vitro suppression of immune function in MOFS appear to achieve that end independent of the nutritional outcome of nitrogen balance and without adverse clinical outcome.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Effect of anesthesia and operation on essential immune functions].

Study of the references listed leaves no doubt that essential specific and unspecific immune functions are more or less strongly influenced by a wide variety of anaesthetics. In clinically employed concentrations these negative effects are rapidly and completely reversible. No clinically relevant adverse actions on the immune system have ever been identified in short-term anaesthesia with any substance, not even with the thiobarbiturates although these are known to be highly inhibitory. However, matters are entirely different in respect of highly dosed long-term sedation. In such cases, it may occur with e.g. thiobarbiturates or diazepam that in the course of days or weeks concentrations are attained in the tissue which may lead us to expect in vivo quite considerable suppression of both unspecific and antigen-specific cellular immune mechanisms. This expectation, which is first of all based on in-vitro results, has been indirectly supported by a clinical study in patients suffering from craniocerebral trauma who received artificial respiration and in whom an association was seen between thiopental administration and the incidence of bacterial pneumonias. Over and above this, however, the preoperative condition of the patient and of course mainly the operation as such with its associated stress reaction will cause direct and indirect changes in the immune system (Fig. 4). Trauma and anaesthesia exert not only a direct action, but act as inhibitors or stimulators of important immune functions chiefly by modulating the stress response. We are still unaware as to whether and to what extent the prognosis of the individual patient is actually adversely affected by the combined action of these factors. Many findings, however, seem to point to an essential role played by both the surgical trauma and the stress response it induces, as well as by the pre-operative immune status of the patient, in the occurrence of subsequent infectious complications (Fig. 4).

Anesthesia, General↗

PubMed1991

Severe head injury: effect upon cellular immune function.

Infection is a major cause of morbidity following severe head injury. Although investigations have demonstrated central nervous system modulation of immune function, the effects of severe head injury on immune activity have not been well documented. This study prospectively investigated cellular immune function in 20 patients with isolated severe head injury. In vivo cellular immune status was determined by responses to delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin tests. In vitro studies included the effect of the lymphocyte mitogen, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), on peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) phenotype expression and PBL blastogenesis. DTH skin testing demonstrated anergy to all antigens used during the first two weeks following head injury. Analysis of PBLs incubated with PHA demonstrated a decrease in the percent of PBL blastogenesis (p = 0.002), the percentage of cells marking as T-cells (p = 0.018), helper T-cells (p less than 0.001) and those expressing interleukin-2 receptors (p less than 0.001). There was a significant increase in the percentage of cells that marked as monocytes (p = 0.030), whereas there was no significant change in the percentage of B-cells, suppressor/cytotoxic T-cells, natural killer cells or in cells expressing the HLA-DR antigen. The infection rate was 55% with most occurring within 5 days of injury. The results of this study suggest that isolated severe head injury causes suppression of cellular immunity. The decrease in PHA stimulated PBL blastogenesis, helper T-cell phenotypic and interleukin-2 receptor expression, suggests suppression in early helper T-cell activation may be responsible for the high incidence of infection following severe head injury. The possible significance of increased monocyte phenotypic expression is discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Effect of prostaglandin E on immune function in normal healthy volunteers.

Prostaglandin E (PGE) has been hypothesized to be the endogenous metabolite that results in the immunosuppression seen in patients with tumor and trauma. This has resulted in multiple investigators proposing that administration of PGE inhibitors, such as aspirin and indomethacin, might improve immune function in such patients. We administered a long acting PGE analog, misoprostol, to nine normal healthy volunteers for five days and assayed immune function before and after therapy. The PGE analog improved lymphocyte blastogenesis and increased tumor necrosis factor production. The PGE analog also resulted in the volunteers having symptoms similar to those seen in patients with sepsis. The results of these studies indicate that elevated levels of PGE do not seem to result in impairment of immune function, but may be the endogenous metabolite responsible for the symptologic factors seen in infected patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Iron fortification of infant milk formula: the effect on iron status and immune function.

We conducted a randomized double-blind trial of a cow's milk infant formula with increased iron fortification in order to confirm its safety and to measure its effects on iron status and immune function. A group of full-term, well nourished and healthy infants was followed from the age of 3 months to 1 year. A control group of 74 infants was given a commercially available infant formula containing 8.3 mg Fe/100g. The test group of 75 infants received a similar formula with 40 mg Fe/100 g. The formula with the extra iron proved to be safe and, when compared with the control group, the children in the test group had significantly improved iron status as reflected by the proportion of children classed as normal (25 of 61 cf. 44 of 65; p less than 0.003), and by the mean values of the haemoglobin concentration (11.5 cf. 11.9 g/dl; p = 0.04), red cell distribution width (15.5% cf. 14.4%; p = 0.0005), red cell zinc protoporphyrin (3.4 cf. 4.0 micrograms/g Hb; p = 0.04) and ferritin (29 cf. 17.3 micrograms/l; p = 0.004). The extra iron fortification depressed zinc concentration in plasma (90.6 cf. 83.5 micrograms/l; p = 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups for laboratory measures of immune function or for incidence of infection. No adverse effects such as infection could be attributed to the increased iron. We conclude that iron fortification of cow's milk infant formula may be safely increased to 40 mg/100 g (i.e. by a factor of 4.8 over the common concentration of 8.3 mg/100 g), but that this has less than the expected effect on iron status. Further studies are required to define (a) the long-term role of facilitators of iron absorption such as ascorbic acid, (b) the interaction of iron with absorption of divalent trace elements such as zinc, and (c) the effect of iron status on immune function and susceptibility to infection.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Marital quality, marital disruption, and immune function.

Marital disruption is associated with significant increases in a variety of psychologic and physical disorders. In order to examine psychologic and physiologic mediators, self-report data and blood samples were obtained from 38 married women and 38 separated/divorced women. Among married subjects, poorer marital quality was associated with greater depression and a poorer response on three qualitative measures of immune function. Women who had been separated 1 year or less had significantly poorer qualitative and quantitative immune function than their sociodemographically matched married counterparts. Among the separated/divorced cohort, shorter separation periods and greater attachment to the (ex)husband were associated with poorer immune function and greater depression. These data are consistent with epidemiologic evidence linking marital disruption with increased morbidity and mortality.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Effect of zinc on immune functions and host resistance against infection and tumor challenge.

The effect of zinc treatment on immune function and resistance against infection and tumor challenge was studied in mice. Swiss albino mice were treated with zinc acetate (3 mg/kg body weight) in one or two intraperitoneal injections. Various immune function assays were performed in treated animals. Zinc treatment to normal animals caused potentiation of T-lymphocyte and macrophage functions. Zinc treatment was also found to increase host resistance against Candida albicans and Semliki Forest virus infections. Increased resistance against endotoxin shock and Ehrlich's ascites tumor challenge was also observed in zinc treated animals. It can be stated from this study that zinc treatment potentiates the cell mediated immunity and host resistance against infection and tumor challenge.

Animals↗