Acta Microbiologica 39. (1992)
1. szám - Anderlik, P.–Szeri I.–Bános Zs.–Barna–Zs: Effect of Mannozym on the Course of LCMV Infection in Mice with Undeveloped and Normal Immune System
I* Acta Microbiologica Hungarica 39 (l)4pp. 3—11 (1992) EFFECT OF MANNOZYM ON THE COURSE OF LCMV INFECTION IN MICE WITH UNDEVELOPED AND NORMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM Piroska Anderlik, Ilona Szeri, Zsuzsanna Bános and Zsuzsanna Barna Institute of Microbiology, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest (Received November 1, 1990) Adult germfrec (Gf) mice with undeveloped immune system due to antigen deficient environment, conventional (Cv) mice with normal immune system and Cv suckling mice with undeveloped immune system due to age were treated intraperitoneally with Mannozym (M, 0.1% zymosan suspension) 4 days or 4 days and 1 day before the intracerebral inoculation with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). One dose of M was equal to 40 mg/kg of zymosan. In suckling mice, both applied doses of M contributed the development of fatal lymphocytic choriomeningitis after infection with 100 LDr>0 dose of LCMV, thus M pretreatment increased the cellular immune response to LCMV infection. M pretreatments had no influence on the course of LCMV infection cither in adult Gf or in Cv mice. Spleen hypertrophy was caused by applied doses of M both in adult (Gf and Cv) and Cv suckling mice, but modulating effect on the cellular immune response manifested simultaneously only in Cv sucklings. Zymosan is a polymannan-polyglucan complex, first isolated from the cell wall of baker’s yeast by Pillemer and Ecber [1 ]. Mannozym (M) a zymosan containing cell wall derivate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used in human therapy for enhancement of non specific immunity and to prevent unwanted side effects of X-ray treatment [2-4]. Its mode of action is not exactly known yet, hut it has been demonstrated in animal experiments that Zymosan influencing through different aspecific mechanisms the function of the mononuclear phagocytic system, can increase the phagocytosis [5—12] and it enhances both the humoral and cellular specific immune responses, too [13]. In our present experiments the effect of M on the cellular immune response to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection was studied in mice with normal or undeveloped immune system. It is known that the fatal lymphocytic choriomeningitis followed by intracerebral (i. cer.) LC.MV infection is the consequence of the cytotoxic reaction of LCMV antigen specific T lymphocytes to cells expressing viral antigens on the leptomeninx [14—16]. The course of virus infection thus greatly depends on the cellular immune responsiveness of the animal. Acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis develops in adult mice with intact developed immune system Piroska Anderi.ik, Ilona Szeri, Zsuzsanna Bános, Zsuzsanna Barna Institute of Microbiology, Semmelweis University Metlieul School 11-1445 Budapest, P.O.B. 370, Himgury Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest