[Immunological action of neurotropin (5). Effect of neurotropin on immunosuppression caused by stress].

Neurotropin is an extract isolated from the inflamed skins of rabbits inoculated with Vaccinia virus. A study was carried out to examine the effect of Neurotropin on the immunosuppressions caused by stress. Mice were restrained for 16 hr per day for 2 consecutive days. Under this condition, the immune responses such as PFC and DTH to SRBC, T cell-dependent antigen, were markedly suppressed. Moreover, the phagocytic activity of macrophages were also suppressed. Neurotropin was found to restore such suppressions of both T cell response and phagocytosis in stressed mice. These results suggest that the effect of Neurotropin on depressed immunity in stressed mice were not only restoration of T cell function but also phagocytic activity of macrophages. Neurotropin had no effect on intact immune responses without stress. This suggests that Neurotropin can be used as an effective immunomodulator.