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Enhancement of Host Resistance to Viral and Tumor Challenge by Treatment with Methionine‐Enkephalin
Author(s) -
FAITH ROBERT E.,
MURGO ANTHONY J.,
CLINKSCALES C. WORTH,
PLOTNIKOFF NICHOLAS P.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1987.tb35756.x
Subject(s) - methionine , host (biology) , resistance (ecology) , host resistance , virology , medicine , biology , immunology , genetics , amino acid , ecology
Host resistance to disease is dependent upon a number of factors. Recent evidence indicates that natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in resistance to both neoplastic and virally induced disease. Treatment of C57Bl/6 mice with methionine-enkephalin (1, 3, 10, or 30 mg/kg body weight) results in significant increases in NK activity of splenic lymphocytes 20 hours after injection of the enkephalin. Enkephalin treatment also enhances host resistance. The short-term survival of A/J female mice after HSV-2 infection was significantly increased by daily subcutaneous injections (3 mg/kg body weight) of methionine-enkephalin. Similarly, daily doses of 50 micrograms of methionine-enkephalin for 7 to 14 days inhibit the local subcutaneous tumor growth of B15 melanoma in C57Bl/6 mice.