[Pharmacological correction of nonspecific resistance and production of proinflammatory cytokines during chronic intoxication with organophosphorus compound VX]

It is established in experiments on noninbred rats that the use of imunofan (20 mg/kg daily) and polyoxidonium (150 mg/kg daily) for 7 days on the background of chronic intoxication with organophosphorus agent VX (0.01 LD50, single daily treatment for 30 days) resulted in almost complete recovery of phagocytic-metabolic activity of neutrophils, the content of lysozyme, cationic protein of platelet, and levels of proinflammatory cytokines TNFa, IL-1b and IL-6 in the blood. The administration of T-activin (20 mg/kg daily for 7 days) restores these parameters insignificantly. The maximum overall stimulatory effect was produced by polyoxidonium, while the minimum effect was observed for T-activin.

The antibody response to methyl isocyanate: experimental and clinical findings

Sera from 99 subjects exposed to the industrial gas leak in Bhopal on December 2, 1984 were studied along with sera from guinea pigs exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) to determine the production of antibodies specific to (MIC). Each of the four guinea pigs injected with the reactive isocyanate produced MIC-specific antibodies in titres of 1:5120 to 1:10240, when tested with MIC-guinea pig albumin antigen conjugate. Analogous antigens prepared by reaction of MIC with human serum albumin were used to probe production of antibodies in 264 serially obtained human sera from 99 subjects from Bhopal. MIC-specific antibodies belonging to IgG, IgM and IgE classes were detected in eleven subjects. Though titres were low and transient (declining after several months) these findings indicate that the single large exposure to MIC resulted in an immunologic response. This finding was concomitant with chronic respiratory effects following MIC exposure.

Effects of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton on interleukin 2 production and lymphocyte proliferation in former poison gas factory workers

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and lymphocyte proliferation were measured in former workers of the Okunojima Poison Gas Factory (poison gas workers), who have a high incidence of lung cancer, and the efficacy of administration of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) was studied. In comparison with normal controls and poison gas workers receiving N-CWS, lymphocyte proliferation in poison gas workers not receiving N-CWS showed a significant decrease, while IL-2 production showed a slight though not statistically significant decrease. When N-CWS was administered to poison gas workers, IL-2 production and lymphocyte proliferation were significantly elevated, with a peak two weeks after administration. N-CWS, by elevating IL-2 production of lymphocytes, is considered to have improved the depression of lymphocyte proliferation.

Effects of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton on lymphocyte subsets in former poison gas factory workers

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were determined in former workers of the Okunojima Poison Gas Factory (poison gas workers) having a high incidence of lung cancer, and the effect of administration of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) was studied. In poison gas workers not receiving N-CWS, both the percentage and absolute number of Leu-2a+ cells were significantly increased as compared with normal controls, while both the percentage and absolute number of Leu-7+ cells as well as the Leu-3a/Leu-2a ratio were significantly decreased. In poison gas workers receiving N-CWS, the percentage of Leu-2a+ cells was significantly decreased when compared with poison gas workers not receiving N-CWS, while the percentage of Leu-1+ cells and both the percentage and absolute number of Leu-7+ cells as well as the Leu-3a/Leu-2a ratio were significantly increased. When N-CWS was administered to poison gas workers, the percentage of Leu-2a+ cells significantly decreased, with a minimum two weeks after administration, while the percentage of Leu-3a+ and the Leu-3a/Leu-2a ratio significantly increased and the percentages of Leu-1+ and Leu-7+ cells also increased. Furthermore, the absolute number of Leu-3a+ cells increased markedly with a peak two weeks after administration. The absolute numbers of both Leu-1+ cells and Leu-7+ cells as well as total lymphocytes also significantly increased, but that of Leu-2a+ cells showed hardly any change. It is considered that a single administration of N-CWS transiently corrects the abnormality of lymphocyte subsets, and that repeated administration of N-CWS once every three months may maintain the lymphocyte subsets of poison gas workers at normal levels.