Anti-oxidants as modulators of immune function.
In order to confirm the hypothesis of the immunomodulating action of anti-oxidants (bringing back altered immune function to more optimum values), the possibility that anti-oxidants may be useful in two experimental models of altered immune function has been studied. The first is a pathological model, that is, lethal murine endotoxic shock caused by an LPS injection of 100 mg/kg, in which the lymphocytes show increased adherence and depressed chemotaxis. The injection of N-acetylcysteine (150 mg/kg), which increased both functions in control animals, decreased adherence and increased chemotaxis in mice with endotoxic shock. The second is a physiological model; aged human subjects (70 +/- 5-year-old men) who, in their largest segment of population ('standard' group) showed an increased lymphocyte adherence and decreased lymphoproliferative response to mitogens compared with younger adults. The ingestion of vitamin E (200 mg daily for 3 months in this standard group) lowered adherence and stimulated lymphoproliferation. However, a smaller segment of the human population tested showed 'non-standard' values in these lymphocyte functions, that is, very low adherence and very high proliferation. In those subjects, vitamin E showed the opposite effects, namely adherence increase and depressed lymphoproliferation. In both age groups of men, these functions reached adult levels after vitamin E ingestion. These data suggest that anti-oxidants preserve adequate function of immune cells against homeostatic disturbances such as those caused by endotoxic shock and ageing.
De la Fuente
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Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain. mondelaf@eucmax.sim.ucm.es
Victor
V M
VM
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D000111:Acetylcysteine