Profiles of cytokine production in recipients of transfer factors.
Transfer factors (TF) are proteins that transfer the ability to express cell-mediated immunity from immune donors to non-immune recipients. The mechanisms of these effects have not been defined. The experiments described in this report were undertaken to test the hypothesis that a mechanism through which the beneficial effects of TF are expressed in clinical situation is through "education" of the immune system to produce certain cytokines in response to antigenic stimulation. BALB/c mice were sensitized to Herpes simplexvirus (HSV) either by sublethal systemic or cutaneous infections by administration of a HSV-specific TF. One week later their spleen cells were collected and single cell suspensions were stimulated in vitro with irradiated HSV or concanavalin. A Culture supernatants were collected and assayed for content of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-g. Spleen cells from infected mice responded to concanavalin A and to HSV by secreting large amounts of IL-2 and IFN-g, modest amounts of IL-10, and no IL-4. Transfer factor recipients produced similar cytokine profiles in response to concavalin A. These mice, however, responded to HSV by secreting IFN-g, but no IL-2. Thus, TF treatment selectively affects cytokine production in response to antigenic stimulation.
Alvarez-Thull
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Innovative Therapeutics, Inc., Denver, CO, USA.
Kirkpatrick
C H
CH
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014165:Transfer Factor / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
D016207:Cytokines; D004731:Endotoxins; D007378:Interleukins; D014165:Transfer Factor; D007371:Interferon-gamma