title: Enhancement of cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes in mice by oral administration of peptidoglycan (PG) derived from Bifidobacterium thermophilum.
abstract: A preparation of peptidoglycan (PG) of Bifidobacterium thermophilum (B. thermophilum) of swine was orally administered to SPF-C57BL/6CrSlc mice in order to confirm the enhancement of the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells (NK), intraperitoneal cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A-stimulated lymphocytes). The NK cells from the spleen and the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) of mice that were continuously fed with PG-mixed feed for three weeks showed a significantly higher rate of cytolysis than those from the control group. However, a single oral administration of PG had no significant effect on NK activity. The activity of peritoneally sensitized CTL of the mice that were continuously fed with PG-mixed feed was assayed. The PG-mixed feed administered group showed a higher CTL activity than that of the control group. The cytotoxic activity of Con A-stimulated lymphocytes in the PG-mixed feed administered group was higher than that of the control group. These results indicate that the cytotoxic activity of mice was enhanced by orally administered PG.
authors.affiliation: Zen-noh Institute of Animal Health, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukami
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Namioka
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D003208:Concanavalin A