title: Lack of immunostimulatory effect of N-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine on selected chicken immune functions.
abstract: Synthetic N-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, syn. muramyl-dipeptide (MDP) was found to be immunostimulatory in several experimental animal species. In order to determine the influence of MDP on the chicken immune response, different doses (0.05-0.2 mg) of this compound were administered to 6-week old chickens, and cellular as well as humoral immune functions were tested. Neither the immune response against sheep red blood cells or Newcastle disease virus (strain Hitchner B 1), nor the ability to reject skin grafts, or to react in the delayed hypersensitivity (tuberculin) test, were affected significantly under the experimental conditions employed. This study reveals little evidence for parallels between the ability of the chicken immune system and the immune system of other animal species examined so far, to develop enhanced immune reactions under the influence of MDP.
mesh_terms: D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine