BETA(1-]3) GLUCAN-MEDIATED AUGMENTATION OF ALLOREACTIVE MURINE CYTOTOXIC LYMPHOCYTES-T INVIVO

Abstract

Five different .beta.(1 .fwdarw. 3) glucans were tested for immune adjuvant activity on the in vivo induction of alloreactive murine cytotoxic T[thymus derived]-lymphocytes (CTL). The .beta.(1 .fwdarw. 3) glucans lentinan, pachyman, pachymaran and 2 differently substituted hydroxyethylated pachymans strongly enhanced the in vivo generation of alloreactive CTL. The augmenting effect of i.p.-administered .beta.(1 .fwdarw. 3) glucans exhibited a clear dose-response relationship and was strictly dependent on the injection schedule used. Injection of high doses of .beta.(1 .fwdarw. 3) glucans and the injection during the late phase of the immune response markedly suppressed the magnitude of the lytic CTL activity induced. When the optimal conditions for enhanced CTL responses were chosen, the augmented CTL activity within spleen cells and mesenteric lymph node cells persisted for more than 25 days. Since .beta.(1 .fwdarw. 3) glucans are chemically defined substances without obvious toxic side effects, they may be of potential use to augment in vivo antigen-specific T-cell responses.