Effect on reserpine on humoral immune responsiveness in young chickens

The role of reserpine in modifying a primary humoral immune response was evaluated in three experiments with young chickens. It was found that chickens injected with reserpine prior to an intravenous antigenic challenge with sheep red blood cells exhibited an enhanced primary humoral immune response. The enhanced response occurred concomitant with an elevation in adrenal cortical activity as evidenced by the significant elevation of serum corticosterone in the reserpine-treated chickens. These data suggest that both the adrenal cortex and medulla may influence immune responsiveness in the chicken.