Protective effect of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton on experimental infection in normal and immunosuppressed mice.
The protective effect of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) on experimental infections was investigated in normal and immunosuppressed mice. Pretreatment with N-CWS provided protection against acute systemic infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Listeria monocytogenes in normal mice. N-CWS administered before or after challenge also showed protective activity against Herpes simplex virus infection in normal mice. N-CWS was the most effective against extracellular parasitic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection when administered 1 day before challenge, but displayed the most potent protective activity against infection with Listeria monocytogenes, a facultative intracellular parasite, when administered 7 to 14 days before challenge. In mice with subcutaneous Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, N-CWS suppressed abscess formation and decreased the viable cell count in the resultant abscess foci when administered either intraperitoneally or subcutaneously to the infected site. In addition, treatment with N-CWS markedly restored host defense ability against pseudomonal infection in mice immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide, hydrocortisone and X-ray irradiation.
D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D017358:Cell Wall Skeleton; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009088:Mucoproteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors
D017358:Cell Wall Skeleton; D009088:Mucoproteins; C044553:cell wall skeleton, Nocardia