title: Vitamin E supplementation with interferon-gamma administration retards immune dysfunction during murine retrovirus infection.
abstract: Murine retrovirus infection induces loss of vitamin E and immune dysfunction with loss of cytokine production by T-helper cells. Therefore interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was given during dietary vitamin E supplementation to effectively prevent murine retrovirus-induced immunosuppression, cytokine dysregulation, and development of murine AIDS. Administration of IFN-gamma during vitamin E supplementation significantly prevented development of retrovirus-induced suppression of splenic natural killer cell activity and T cell proliferation. It also significantly slowed retrovirus-induced elevation of T helper (Th) 2 cytokine [interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-10] production and monokine (IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) secretion by splenocytes. The treatment also prevented loss of Th1 cytokine (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) secretion by splenocytes from retrovirus-infected mice alleviating splenomegaly and hypergammaglobulinemia. The combined therapy had an additive therapeutic impact. It was more effective than IFN-gamma treatment or vitamin E supplementation alone in delaying the development of retrovirus-induced immunosuppression with its cytokine dysregulation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016183:Murine Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D014810:Vitamin E; D007371:Interferon-gamma