title: Modulating effects of the synthetic thymic dipeptide pidotimod on the immune system in the aging rat.
abstract: We have investigated the in vivo and in vitro effect of pidotimod, a synthetic thymic-derived drug, on the immune response in young (2 month-old), and aging (24 month-old) Sprague-Dawley rats. We studied the effect of different doses of pidotimod on the responsiveness of both cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes and splenocytes to mitogenic stimuli, as well as on interleukin-2 production by peripheral blood lymphocytes after stimulation with interleukin-1 and phytohemagglutinin. Treatment with pidotimod in vivo as well as in vitro resulted in an increase of tritiated thymidine incorporation in both mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes and splenocytes from 24 month-old rats. Production of IL-2 from lymphocytes of 24 month-old rats was significantly increased in groups of animals treated with pidotimod. On the other hand, treatment with pidotimod did not influence the responsiveness of 2 month-old rat lymphocytes to mitogens, nor affected IL-2 production. Our results suggest a possible specific modulatory activity of pidotimod on the aging immune system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, University of Catania School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiarenza
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Iurato
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barbera
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lempereur
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantarella
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Scapagnini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernardini
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053778:Thiazolidines
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007376:Interleukin-2; D013844:Thiazoles; D053778:Thiazolidines; C064893:pidotimod; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid