The effect of the immunomodulator RU 41,740 (biostim) on the specific and nonspecific immunosuppression induced by thermal injury or protein deprivation

• Published in: Archives of surgery (Chicago. 1960) Vol. 123; no. 2; p. 207
• Main Authors: Christou, N V, Zakaluzny, I, Marshall, J C, Nohr, C W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.1988
• Subjects: Abscess - immunology; Adjuvants, Immunologic - pharmacology; Animals; Antibody Formation; Bacterial Proteins - pharmacology; Burns - immunology; Immune Tolerance; Immunization; Male; Protein-Energy Malnutrition - immunology; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Staphylococcal Skin Infections - immunology; Tetanus Toxoid - immunology
• ISSN: 0004-0010
• DOI: 10.1001/archsurg.1988.01400260091011

We studied the effect of RU 41,740 (biostim), a primary macrophage stimulator, in the following two immunosuppressive conditions in rats: (1) a 30% full-thickness burn that leads to significant decreases in cell-mediated (delayed-type hypersensitivity [DTH]), humoral (anti-tetanus toxoid antibody production), and nonspecific immunity (Staphylococcus aureus 502a skin abscess) and (2) protein malnutrition using a 2% protein diet for eight weeks. Biostim administered by gastric intubation at dosages of 10 and 50 mg/kg of body weight for five days following thermal trauma did not prevent the DTH suppression induced by the thermal injury, but resulted in a significant dose-related increase in the amount of anti-tetanus toxoid antibody produced. In the malnourished rats given biostim at dosages of 10 and 50 mg/kg of body weight for seven days, there was a significant dose-related increase in the DTH response in the presence of continued protein depletion in these animals, with a modest but significant reduction in the S aureus 502a skin abscess at three days. Antibody production was not affected with this model. Biostim partially overcomes the suppression in humoral immunity following thermal injury, but not cell-mediated or nonspecific immunity. On the other hand, biostim augments both the cell-mediated and nonspecific immune suppression induced by prolonged protein deprivation but does not affect humoral immunity.