[An immunological study on the effect of simultaneous intrahepatic injection of an immunomodulator (OK-432) and adriamycin--an experiment in rats].

An immunological study of the effect of a simultaneous intrahepatic injection of adriamycin (ADM) and OK-432 (PIC) in seven-week-old S.D. rats was carried out. Three experimental groups included an ADM-PIC-0.5 group which was administered 0.5 mg/kg ADM and 0.5 KE/kg PIC, an ADM-PIC-1.0 group which was administered 1.0 mg/kg ADM and 1.0 KE/kg PIC and an ADM-PIC-2.0 group which was administered 2.0 mg/kg ADM and 2.0 KE/kg PIC. A control group was injected with normal saline. The numbers of T-cells, B-cells, helper T-cells and suppressor T-cells were counted before, 1 day after and 5 days after intrahepatic injection. The suppressor T-cell count decreased (p less than 0.05) in the ADM-PIC-0.5 group and the T-cell count (p less than 0.05), B-cell count (p less than 0.05), helper T-cell count (p less than 0.01), suppressor T-cell (p less than 0.05) and the ratio of suppressor T-cells among lymphocytes were decreased in the ADM-PIC-1.0 group. Decreases in the T-cell count (p less than 0.01), B-cell count (p less than 0.05), helper T-cell count (p less than 0.01), suppressor T-cell (p less than 0.01) and the ratio of suppressor T-cells among lymphocytes (p less than 0.01) were recognized in the ADM-PIC-2.0 group one day after injection. Five days after injection, the ratio of suppressor T-cells among lymphocytes (p less than 0.01) was decreased in the ADM-PIC-0.5 group, and suppressor T-cells (p less than 0.05) and the ratio of suppressor T-cells among lymphocytes were decreased in the ADM-PIC-1.0 group. In the ADM-PIC-2.0 group, suppressor T-cell count (p less than 0.01) and the ratio of suppressor T-cells among lymphocytes were decreased. The result suggested that a simultaneous intrahepatic injection with PIC could improve the immunosuppression produced by an intrahepatic injection of ADM.