title: The effect of lentinan on the resistance of mice to Mesocestoides corti.
abstract: CBA/H mice were given the immunomodulator lentinan in multiple, ascending doses before (prophylactic) or after (therapeutic) inoculation with tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti or as a single prophylactic dose. The latter was without effect, but increasing multiple prophylactic and therapeutic doses of lentinan resulted in a marked reduction in the numbers of parasites in the peritoneal cavity, particularly in those mice that received lentinan therapeutically. In mice that received multiple doses of lentinan, liver granulomas were larger than in controls and there was more collagen deposition and fibrosis. Encapsulated parasites were dead or dying, and such damage appeared to be mediated by increased numbers of macrophages and giant cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Veterinary Biology, School of Veterinary Studies, Murdoch University, Western Australia.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Penhale
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007912:Lentinan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008645:Mesocestoides / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D007912:Lentinan