[Comparative studies on the immunostimulation by whole-body irradiation or vincristine sulphate]

Comparative experimentations were performed on Sprague-Dawley rats in order to study the immunostimulation by whole-body irradiation with 60Co gamma radiation (doses between 0.5 and 2 Gy) or application of vincristine sulphate (doses between 1.5 and 6 micrograms per 100 g body weight). The primary production of antibodies against erythrocytes of sheep was determined as immunity parameter. An immunostimulation was observed in all experiments. The irradiated groups showed the highest stimulation after 1 Gy, and the most stimulating dose of vincristine was 6 micrograms/100 g body weight. The radiogenic stimulation was more significant. As a reason for these stimulations, the authors suppose the different sensitivity of individual lymphocyte populations participating in the induction of the humoral immune response which leads to a relatively greater inactivation of T suppressor lymphocytes.