In Plasmodium berghei infections, the mortality rate and parasitaemias were significantly reduced and the mean survival time was considerably enhanced by pretreating the animals with a tuftsin derivative, Thr-LysPro-Arg-NH-(CH&-NHCOCrsHsr.This effect of the modified tuftsin was further increased upon its incorporation in the liposome bilayer. These results indicate that tuftsin and its derivatives may prove useful in enhancing nonspecific host resistance against protozoan infections.
Protozoan infection Immunomodulation
Incorporation of tuftsin derivatives, Thr‐Lys‐Pro‐Arg‐NH‐C18H37 or Thr‐Lys‐Pro‐Arg‐NH‐(CH2)2‐NH‐COC15H31, into an egg phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol liposome bilayer led to significantly enhanced binding of the liposomes to PMN leukocytes at 37°C but not at 0°C. Under identical conditions, no such enhanced binding of the liposomes was observed with erythrocytes and lymphocytes. These results demon‐strate that grafting of tuftsin on the liposome bilayer enables the liposome to recognize specifically the PMN leukocytes and to deliver its contents to these cells.
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