Effect of Methionine Enkephalin on Natural Killer Cell and Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Activity in Mice Infected with Influenza a Virus

Abstract

Methionine enkephalin (Met-Enk) was evaluated for efficacy as an immune activator and potential therapeutic agent in influenza A/NWS/33 (H1N1) viral infections in female BALB/C mice. Influenza infection was induced intranasally with an approximate 90% lethal dose of virus and mice were treated intraperitoneally with doses of 10, 3 and 1 mg/kg/day, with treatments given 24 h pre-, 24 h post-and 72 h post-virus exposure. Splenocytes were assayed for natural killer cell (NK) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity at time periods 76, 96 and 120 h post virus exposure. the 10 mg/kg dosage level significantly increased both CTL and NK activity at all time periods assayed. Other treatment schedules included single doses of 20, 10 and 3 mg/kg/day Met-Enk at either 24 h post-or 72 h post-virus exposure, with highly significant increases in NK and CTL activity noted after the latter treatment. the results of this study demonstrate the immunomodulatory effects of Met-Enk on NK and CTL in influenza infected mice and suggest a potential for therapeutic applications.