title: Potentiation of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes respiratory burst and phagocytosis by a standardized liver and spleen fraction of peptides.
abstract: The effect of Factor AF2 (AF2), a xenogeneic fraction of peptides with a molecular weight of < 10,000 Dalton obtained from livers and spleens of newborn lambs, on the oxygen consumption and the phagocytic activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was studied. AF2 increased the oxygen uptake of PMN exposed both to serum-treated zymosan (STZ), a phagocytosable stimulus, and phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA), a soluble stimulus. The potentiating effect of the drug was dose-dependent and more pronounced when suboptimal amounts of either stimulus were used. The phagocytic activity of PMN, as measured by the rate of mineral oil particles ingestion, was also increased by AF2 in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the drug may influence PMN behaviour in at least two ways: 1. by increasing the rate of phagocytosis, and 2. by potentiating the respiratory burst induced by soluble and particulate stimuli. The results are discussed in relation to the beneficial effects of AF2 in cancer patients under chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Patologia Generale, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spessotto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mittenzwei
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patriarca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep; D013154:Spleen / Q000737:chemistry*; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015054:Zymosan / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014020:Tissue Extracts; C064467:factor AF2; D015054:Zymosan