The combined administration of thymomodulin and interleukin 2 reverses T-cell unresponsiveness in mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis-BCG.
Mice infected intravenously with high doses of M. bovis, strain BCG, showed a marked impairment of delayed-type hypersensitivity to PPD evaluated in in vivo skin tests and in vitro as splenocyte blast transformation. However, this state of unresponsiveness could be partially reversed after 1 month of infection by the intraperitoneal injection of a calf thymus acid lysate (thymomodulin). Furthermore, BCG-infected mice treated in vivo simultaneously with both thymomodulin and interleukin 2 immediately developed positive skin reactions and blast transformation to PPD and did not become anergic in the course of infection.
Colizzi
V
V
Institute of Microbiology, University of Pisa, Italy.
Cazzola
P
P
Mazzanti
P
P
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D013949:Thymus Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D013949:Thymus Extracts; C051006:thymomodulin