title: Immunoprotective activity of the galactoside-specific mistletoe lectin in cortisone-treated BALB/c-mice.
abstract: Hydrocortisone-acetate (HA)-treatment of BALB/c-mice induced a profound suppression of the lymphatic immune system with statistically significant decreases of thymocyte proliferation and maturation rates as well as peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) counts. To check its putative immunoprotective/immunorestoring activity, the optimal immunomodulating dosage of commercially available mistletoe extract standardized for the galactoside-specific mistletoe lectin (ML-1) was regularly administered (1 ng ML-1 per kg body weight; subcutaneously). As compared to counts of thymic lymphatic subsets of HA-treated mice, a considerable up regulation of mature cells expressing helper/inducer (L3T4+) as well as cytotoxic/suppressor (Lyt-2+) phenotypes and immature cells expressing both antigens (L3T4+/Lyt-2+) could be found after ML-1 co-administration. Counts of BALB/c-mouse peripheral blood mononuclear cells also revealed statistically significant increases after ML-1 co-administration, as compared to HA-treated animals. Accordingly, ML-1 treatment may be supposed to restore the lymphatic system after immunosuppressive corticoid treatment and thus this treatment may be of great benefit to patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beuth
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tunggal
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buss
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeljaszewicz
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Steuer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pulverer
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014784:Mistletoe; D037121:Plant Lectins; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D028321:Plant Preparations; D010940:Plant Proteins; D054790:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2; D014118:Toxins, Biological; C009674:ribosome inactivating protein, Viscum; C021650:hydrocortisone acetate; D006854:Hydrocortisone