T-CELL ADJUVANTS

T-cell adjuvancy involves the use of agents to stimulate preferentiall y delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH). Traditional adjuvants like Alum , Freunds, muramyl peptides, and endotoxins are not selective. Natural infection (e.g. vaccinia) may yield selective DTH. Low dose cyclophos phamide (CY) with mycobacteria was the first experimental T-cell adjuv ant. New adjuvant formulations (ISCOMS, MAPS, etc.) with synthetic T-c ell epitopes offer improved formulations. Upregulation of TH-1 helper cells and their actions with interleukins like IL-2, IL-12, and gamma IFN or antibodies to IL-4 and IL-10 may augment potently pathogen and tumor resistance. Similarly, transfection of tumor target cells with g enes for IL-2, IL-12, gamma IFN, etc., offers novel vaccine treatment approaches. Finally, ''thymomimetic'' peptides like thymosin a, or dru gs like levamisole or isoprinosine alone or in conjunction with interl eukins may augment TH-I and DTH responses. These approaches are seeing increasing emphasis in new treatment strategies for cancer and infect ions like HIV.