1. Respiratory burst of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in response to the galactoside-specific mistletoe lectin.
- Author
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Braun JM, Gemmell CG, Beuth J, Ko HL, and Pulverer G
- Subjects
- Adult, Female, Galactosides immunology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mistletoe, Neutrophils microbiology, Plant Lectins, Plants, Medicinal, Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 2, Lectins immunology, Neutrophils immunology, Plant Preparations, Plant Proteins, Respiratory Burst immunology, Staphylococcus aureus immunology, Toxins, Biological immunology
- Abstract
The phagocytic activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) towards Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 was evaluated in chemiluminescence assays. As to check its activating ability, galactoside-specific mistletoe lectin (ML-1) was coincubated with PMNLs which were then challenged with S. aureus. Statistically significant (p < 0.001) chemiluminescent response (correlating with phagocytic activity) could be demonstrated at optimal experimental condition, viz: 1 x 10(6) PMNLs incubated with 0.005 ng ML-1 for 30 and 60 minutes before S. aureus challenge. Other experimental schedules (different timing and PMNL/ML-1 concentrations) did not present with statistically relevant changes in chemiluminescent response. These studies suggest that optimal ML-1 concentrations enhance the phagocytic activity of PMNLs which might be of benefit in thus treated patients as to prevent (or lower the rate of) infections under antineoplastic therapy.
- Published
- 1995
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