Mixed lymphocyte reaction, splenocyte

II. NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION IN RAT SPLENOCYTE MIXED LYMPHOCYTE REACTION... 

Lymphotoxicity (cytotoxicity or functional impairment, e.g., proliferation upon anti-CD3 or anti-CD28 stimulation) [7] Human peripheral blood lymphocytes (whole blood or PBMC) or rodent splenocytes are typically used. Polyclonal stimuli include anti-CD3, anti-CD28, plant lectins such as concanavalin A (ConA) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA), superantigens etc. Mixed lymphocyte reactions possible but less used for immunotoxicity... 

Initial biological studies revealed that (+)-discodermolide suppresses both the two-way mixed-lymphocyte reaction and the concanavalin A induced mitogenesis of murine splenocytes in vitro (IC50 0.24 nM and 0.19 nM respectively) with no associated cytotoxicity [4]. (+)-Discodermolide also inhibits the graft versus host-splenomegaly response induced by injection of parental splenocytes into FI recipient mice, with potency intermediate between those of cyclosporin A and FK 506 [5]. These findings stimulated considerable interest in discodermolide as a possible immunosuppressant. 

Some diseases, including dermatosclerosis, dermatomyositis, systemic lupus ery-thematosis, psoriasis, and myasthenia gravis, etc. may be the result of a disorder of immune responses. The Ganoderma lucidum spore extract showed inhibiting effects on DHT, decreased the primary antibody response in mice and also, in a dose related manner, suppression of murine splenocytes or human tonsil mononuclear cell proliferation in vitro. It inhibited a mixed lymphocyte reaction and decreased the IL-2 level. These results indicate that the inhibitory actions on both the cellular and humoral immunity might explain the use of this drug for the treatment of autoimmune disorders [52]. 

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