POTENTIATION OF T-CELL MEDIATED IMMUNITY BY LEVAMISOLE

Google Scholar
  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 25  (2) , 288-296
Abstract
Cell-mediated immunity is a requirement for recognition and elimination of cells and for prevention or treatment of a variety of diseases. The development of a product potentially active in increasing immunity involves its testing in assays specific for cell-mediated immunity. The effectiveness of a single administration of levamisole was demonstrated in the rejection of isografts in a male to female C57BL/6 [mouse] system, and on the enhancement of levels of delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) to sheep red cells (SRBC). In 5 of 9 tests, an injection of 25 mg/kg of levamisole to female recipients on the day of grafting or 7 days after grafting resulted in a RT50% [median rejection time] of 25 days, compared with 46 days in untreated controls. Levamisole administered at the time of immunization with various doses of SRBC elicited earlier, higher and more sustained DTH levels than in untreated controls. Such induction of T[thymus-derived]-cell activation was accompanied by a switch of anti-SRBC antibodies from IgM [immunoglobulin M] to IgG. Levamisole can apparently recruit and activate T cells for increased or restored cell-mediated immunity.