In vitro stimulation of murine lymphoid cell cultures by levamisole. 1975

V J Merluzzi, and A M Badger, and C W Kaiser, and S R Cooperband

Levamisole has been reported to act as an immunological adjuvant. Experiments reported here on the effect of this agent on a variety of murine lymphoid culture systems were designed to gain an insight into its mechanism of action. We have found levamisole to be a weak mitogen for mouse spleen cells producing a dose related response which peaks at 48 hr in culture. The drug acted to augment the response of spleen cells to sub-optimal concentrations of concanavalin A, but had no unusual effect on the lipopolysaccharide stimulation of B-cell DNA synthesis in vitro. Levamisole was directly stimulatory on enriched T-cell populations and was found to have two actions: (1) to stimulate a subpopulation of T cells and (2) to augment the response of suboptimal mitogen concentrations of concanavalin A. In addition, we have found that murine thymocytes stimulated by concanavalin A were greatly potentiated in the presence of levamisole, but this population of cells could not be stimulated directly by the drug.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007978 Levamisole An antihelminthic drug that has been tried experimentally in rheumatic disorders where it apparently restores the immune response by increasing macrophage chemotaxis and T-lymphocyte function. Paradoxically, this immune enhancement appears to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis where dermatitis, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, and nausea and vomiting have been reported as side effects. (From Smith and Reynard, Textbook of Pharmacology, 1991, p435-6) L-Tetramisole,Levotetramisole,Decaris,Dekaris,Levamisole Hydrochloride,Solaskil,Hydrochloride, Levamisole
D008213 Lymphocyte Activation Morphologic alteration of small B LYMPHOCYTES or T LYMPHOCYTES in culture into large blast-like cells able to synthesize DNA and RNA and to divide mitotically. It is induced by INTERLEUKINS; MITOGENS such as PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININS, and by specific ANTIGENS. It may also occur in vivo as in GRAFT REJECTION. Blast Transformation,Blastogenesis,Lymphoblast Transformation,Lymphocyte Stimulation,Lymphocyte Transformation,Transformation, Blast,Transformation, Lymphoblast,Transformation, Lymphocyte,Activation, Lymphocyte,Stimulation, Lymphocyte
D008221 Lymphoid Tissue Specialized tissues that are components of the lymphatic system. They provide fixed locations within the body where a variety of LYMPHOCYTES can form, mature and multiply. The lymphoid tissues are connected by a network of LYMPHATIC VESSELS. Lymphatic Tissue,Lymphatic Tissues,Lymphoid Tissues,Tissue, Lymphatic,Tissue, Lymphoid,Tissues, Lymphatic,Tissues, Lymphoid
D008297 Male Males
D008808 Mice, Inbred CBA An inbred strain of mouse that is widely used in BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. Mice, CBA,Mouse, CBA,Mouse, Inbred CBA,CBA Mice,CBA Mice, Inbred,CBA Mouse,CBA Mouse, Inbred,Inbred CBA Mice,Inbred CBA Mouse
D008811 Mice, Inbred DBA An inbred strain of mouse. Specific substrains are used in a variety of areas of BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH such as DBA/1J, which is used as a model for RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. Mice, DBA,Mouse, DBA,Mouse, Inbred DBA,DBA Mice,DBA Mice, Inbred,DBA Mouse,DBA Mouse, Inbred,Inbred DBA Mice,Inbred DBA Mouse
D008934 Mitogens Substances that stimulate mitosis and lymphocyte transformation. They include not only substances associated with LECTINS, but also substances from streptococci (associated with streptolysin S) and from strains of alpha-toxin-producing staphylococci. (Stedman, 25th ed) Mitogen,Phytomitogen,Phytomitogens
D008938 Mitosis A type of CELL NUCLEUS division by means of which the two daughter nuclei normally receive identical complements of the number of CHROMOSOMES of the somatic cells of the species. M Phase, Mitotic,Mitotic M Phase,M Phases, Mitotic,Mitoses,Mitotic M Phases,Phase, Mitotic M,Phases, Mitotic M
D011135 Polysaccharides, Bacterial Polysaccharides found in bacteria and in capsules thereof. Bacterial Polysaccharides
D002478 Cells, Cultured Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others. Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell

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