Effect of Levamisole and Methisporinol on in Vitro Lymphocyte Reactivity in Chronically Irradiated Subjects and Patients Affected by Neoplasias

Abstract

The data of this experiment show that Levamisole moderately stimulates T-lymphocyte proliferation and efficiency in vitro and methisprinol markedly does so when both drugs act in combination with PHA in subjects with severely impaired cell-mediated responsiveness, whereas they do not exert any effect on lymphocytes in normal subjects. B-lymphocyte in vitro responsiveness does not appear to be affected by the immunomodulators, except for some cases of cancer of the stomach wherein B-lymphocyte responsiveness is stimulated in vitro by Levamisole and more evidently by Methisporinol. These data support the use of Methisoprinol or Levamisole in therapy, and further investigations regarding the mechanisms whereby they might act and the dose-effect relationship which might show to be important for the type of desired immunomodulation would appear appropriate.