title: Protective effects of serum thymic factor to Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni infection in Mongolian gerbils.
abstract: The susceptibility to Leptospira interrogans serovar copenhageni in Mongolian gerbils treated with 10 micrograms of serum thymic factor (FTS) 1 day before infection was examined. Susceptibility of gerbils treated 5 times with 10 micrograms of FTS was also investigated. Mortality of FTS-treated gerbils was significantly lower than that of controls when small challenge doses were used. To analyse the FTS-induced resistance to leptospiral infection, natural killer (NK) cell activity and macrophage activity were studied. Macrophage activity was unaltered but NK cell activity was enhanced in FTS-treated gerbils, with or without leptospiral infection. Since no side-effects of FTS were observed, this compound should be considered for the treatment of leptospirosis.
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nihon University, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Yukawa
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Mochizuki
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kosaka
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kamata
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Awaya
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kobayashi
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Onodera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005849:Gerbillinae; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012703:Serotyping; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014895:Weil Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating