Skip to main content
Log in

Profiles of cytokine production in recipients of transfer factors

  • Published:
Biotherapy

Abstract

Transfer factors (TF) are proteins that transfer the ability to express cell-mediated immunity from immune donors to non-immune recipients. The mechanisms of these effects have not been defined. The experiments described in this report were undertaken to test the hypothesis that a mechanism through which the beneficial effects of TF are expressed in clinical situation is through “education” of the immune system to produce certain cytokines in response to antigenic stimulation.

BALB/c mice were sensitized to Herpes simplexvirus (HSV) either by sublethal systemic or cutaneous infections by administration of a HSV-specific TF. One week later their spleen cells were collected and single cell suspensions were stimulated in vitro with irradiated HSV or concanavalin A. Culture supernatants were collected and assayed for content of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-g.

Spleen cells from infected mice responded to concanavalin A and to HSV by secreting large amounts of IL-2 and IFN-g, modest amounts of IL-10, and no IL-4. Transfer factor recipients produced similar cytokine profiles in response to concavalin A. These mice, however, responded to HSV by secreting IFN-g, but no IL-2. Thus, TF treatment selectively affects cytokine production in response to antigenic stimulation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

c.equ.:

cell equivalent

CMI:

cell-mediated immunity

HSV:

Herpes simplex virus

IFN-g:

interferon gamma

pfu:

plaque forming units

TF:

transfer factor

References

  1. Kirkpatrick CH: Transfer factor. J Allerg C1 1988; 81: 803–13.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lawrence HS: Transfer factor in cellular immunity. New York: The Harvey Lectures. Series 68. Academic Press, 1974: 239.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Levin AS, Byers VS, Fudenberg HH, Wybran J, Hackett AJ, Johnston JO & Spitler LE. Osteogenic sarcoma: immunologic parameters before and during immunotherapy with tumorspecific transfer factor. J Clin Inv 1975; 55: 487–99.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Fudenberg HH & Pizza G. Transfer factor 1993: Newfrontiers. In. Progress in Drug Research 42; Jucker E. ed. Basel Switzerland: Birkhauser Verlag, 1994: 309–98.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Spitler LE, Levin AS, Stites DP, Fudenberg HH, Pirofsky B, August CS, Stiehm ER, Hitzig WH & Gatti RA. The Wiskott-Aldrich sydrome: results of transfer factor therapy. J Clin Inv 1972: 51: 3216–24.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ritts RE, Pritchard DJ, Taylor WF, Gilchrist GS & Ivins JC. Comparison of transfer factor and combination chemotherapy as post surgical adjuvants in osteogenic sarcoma: results at three years. In: Rainer H, Borberg H, Mishler JM, Schafer U, eds. Immunotherapy of Malignant Diseases. Stuttgart-New York: FK Schattauer Verlag, 1978: 343–52.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Pizza G, DeVinci C & Fudenberg HH. Transfer factor in malignancy. Prog Drug Res 1994; 42: 401–21.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Steele RW, Myers MD & Vincent MM. Transfer factorfor the prevention of varicella zoster in childhood leukemia. N Eng J Med 1980; 303: 355–59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Steele RW, Heberling RL, Eichberg JW, Eller JJ, Kalter SS & Kniker WT. Prevention of herpes simplex virus type I fatal dissemination in primates with human transfer factor. In: Ascher MS, Gottlieb AA, Kirkpatrick CH, eds. Transfer factor: basic properties and clinical applications. New York: Academic Press, 1976: 381–86.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Viza D, Vich JM, Phillips J, Rosenfeld F & Davies DAL. Specific transfer factor protects mice against lethal challenge with herpes simplex virus. Cell Immun 1986; 100: 555–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kirkpatrick CH, Rich RR & Smith TK. Effects of transfer factor on lymphocyte function in anergic patients. J Clin Inv 1972; 51: 2948–58.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wilson GB & Fudenberg HH. Leukocyte migration inhibition as a method for assaying transfer factor activities. Lymphokines 1981; 4: 107–73.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Simmons A & Nash AA. Zosteriform spread of Herpes simplex virus as a model of recrudescence and its use to investigate the role of immune cells in prevention of recurrent disease. J Virol 1984; 52: 816–21.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Petersen EA, Greenberg LE, Manzara T & Kirkpatrick CH. Murine transfer factor. I. Description of the model and evidence for specificity. J Immunol 1981; 126: 2480–84.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Catanzaro A, Spitler LE & Moser KM. Immunotherapy of coccidioidomycosis. J Clin Inv 1974; 54: 690–701.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Manetti R, Parronchi P, Giudizi MG, Piccinni MP, Maggi E, Trinchieri G & Romagnani S. Natural killer cell stimulatory factor (Interleukin-12 [IL-12]) induces T-helper type 1(Th1)-specific immune responses and inhibits the development of IL-producing Th cells. J Exp Med 1993; 177: 1199–1204.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Schmitt E, Hoehn P, Huels C, Goedert S, Palm N, Rude E & Germann T: T helper type 1 development of naive CD4+ T cells requires the coordinate action of interleukin-12 and interferon g and is inhibited by transforming growth factor-b. Eur J Immun 1994; 24: 793–98.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kobayashi M, Fitz L, Ryan M, Hewick RM, Clark SC, Chan S, Loudon R, Sherman F, Perussia B & Trinchieri G. Identification and characterization of natural killer cell stimulatory factor(NKSF), a cytokine with multiple biological effects on human lymphocytes. J Exp Med 1989; 170: 827–45.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Trinchieri G: Biology of natural killer cells. Adv. Immunol 1989; 47: 187–376.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Doherty PC, Allan W, Eichelberger A & Carding SR. Roles of ab and gd T cell subsets in viral immunity. Ann Rev Immunol 1992; 10: 123–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Alvarez-Thull, L., Kirkpatrick, C.H. Profiles of cytokine production in recipients of transfer factors. Biotherapy 9, 55–59 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02628657

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02628657

Key words

Navigation