title: Effects of lysine-arginine association on immune functions in patients with recurrent infections.
abstract: Combined L-lysine-L-arginine therapy is capable of inducting recovery in age-related decline of thymic activity in mice and in elderly humans. The clinical usefulness of the association has also been shown in children with recurrent respiratory infections, while an increase in the number of CD3+ lymphocytes has been shown in patients with chronic lymphatic leukaemia. Recently, in vitro effects of the association on neutrophil function have been reported. In particular, the association was able to increase random migration, chemotaxis, phagocytosis-associated- and f-MLP-induced chemiluminescence. In this paper the authors evaluate the effects of L-lysine-L-arginine combination (lisargin) on several humoral and cell-mediated immunologic parameters in patients with recurrent infection. An increase of neutrophil random migration and chemotaxis (evaluated by a new technique, based on a computer assisted image processing system) was found. Furthermore an increase in the absolute number of lymphocytes involved in cytotoxic activity and IgG levels was observed.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Haematology, Santa Chiara Hospital, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azzarà
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carulli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sbrana
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzuti-Gullaci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minnucci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natale
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ambrogi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001120:Arginine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D008239:Lysine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D001120:Arginine; D008239:Lysine