Some T-cell functions in patients with viral myocarditis. The effect of levamisole.
Some T-cell functions in vitro have been studied in 16 healthy persons, 8 patients with past myocarditis, without any circulatory after-effects and in 12 patients with chronic viral myocarditis. Decrease of T-suppressor cell activity and enhanced blastic transformation of lymphocytes induced with allogeneic heart antigens have been observed in patients suffering from myocarditis. In six patients with active inflammatory process of the heart muscle, application of levamisole brought about not only clinical and electrocardiographic improvement but also an increase of suppressor cells activity and diminished blastic transformation induced with the allogeneic heart antigens and a rise of the T-lymphocytes percentage.
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007978:Levamisole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000276:immunology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D007978:Levamisole