title: Evaluation of immunomodulatory effects of nisin-containing diets on mice.
abstract: The effect of nisin on the immune response of mice was studied. Nisin (in the form of the commercial preparation Nisaplin) was incorporated in the diet of experimental mice which were fed for 30, 75 or 100 days. Short-term administration of diets containing Nisaplin induced an increase of both CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte cell counts and also a decrease of B-lymphocyte counts. After prolonged diet administration, T-cell counts returned to control levels. Normal levels of B-lymphocytes were also reached after prolonged administration of the lower (but not the higher) Nisaplin concentration. The macrophage/monocyte fraction isolated from peripheral blood became significantly increased after long-term administration (100 days) of Nisaplin-containing diets in a concentration-dependent way. Although the number of peritoneal cells was not affected by the diets, the phagocytic activity of peritoneal cells decreased after prolonged administration of low (but not high) Nisaplin doses.
authors.affiliation: University of Jaén, Department of Health Sciences, Spain. mapablo@ujaen.es
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Pablo
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gaforio
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gálvez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alvarez de Cienfuegos López
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005520:Food Preservatives; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009561:Nisin / Q000276:immunology*; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005520:Food Preservatives; D009561:Nisin