II. In vitro restoration by levamisole of mitogen responsiveness in zinc-deprived rats.
The effect of levamisole on the in vitro responses of splenic and peripheral blood lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin were investigated in zinc-deprived and pair-fed control rats. The in vitro response of lymphocytes from zinc-deprived rats was markedly impaired in comparison with that of controls. The addition of levamisole to cultures of zinc-deprived splenic lymphocytes significantly improved their response to phytohemagglutinin by 54%. The addition of levamisole to cultures of zinc-deprived peripheral blood lymphocytes significantly improved their response by 116.2%. The addition of levamisole to control lymphocyte culture had no effect. This study may be the first to evaluate the beneficial effect of an immunomodulating agent on immune function in a nutritionally deprived host.
D000818:Animals; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D007978:Levamisole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D007978:Levamisole; D015032:Zinc