[Immunomodulating effect of short-term deep local cooling and its enhancement with vitamin A]

Local cooling (LC) of the Wistar rat's foot to -120 degrees for 10 or 20 sec stimulates development of humoral immune response and delayed hypersensitivity induced by sheep erythrocytes. A stimulating action of short-term LC can be enhanced by introduction of retinol acetate into the cooling zone. The immunostimulating effect of short-term LC and retinal acetate is mediated by cytokines released by the cells of regional lymph nodes.