ENHANCING EFFECTS OF CHICKEN EGG-WHITE DERIVATIVES ON THE PHAGOCYTIC RESPONSE IN THE DOG

Immunostimulative effects of chicken egg white derivatives (EWD) on ph agocytic responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) and pol ymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in dogs were evaluated by flow cytometric a nalysis. Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) cultured with EWD showed th e enhanced phagocytic response. The response was maximal when PBL were cultured with 100-400 mu g/ml of EWD for 3-12 hr. Furthermore, signif icantly increased phagocytic responses were also induced even when PBL were cultured with protein components (200 mu g/ml) of EWD such as co nalbumin, flavoprotein and ficin-papain inhibitor for 3 hr. In additio n, the enhancing effect of EWD on the phagocytic responses was also ob served in MNC cultured with EWD (200 mu g/ml) for 4 hr but not in PMN cultured with EWD in the same procedures. The supplement of the supern atant (20%) of MNC cultured with EWD (200 mu g/ml for 24 hr at 37 degr ees C to PBL and MNC resulted in the enhancement of their phagocytic r esponses. In contrast, the supernatant of PMN cultured with EWD for 24 hr at 37 degrees C did not show any significant enhancing effect on t he phagocytic responses of PBL, MNC and PMN. These results suggest tha t EWD has an enhancing effect on phagocytosis of MNC and PMN, which ma y be mediated through active humoral substances produced by EWD-stimul ated MNC.