Gastrodin, a traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound, can be used as adjuvant to enhance the immunogenicity of melanoma vaccines.

Gastrodin (GAS) is a Chinese medicine with wide application for the treatment of nervous system disease. Previous studies reported that GAS exhibited non-specific immunomodulatory activities. To explore the effects of GAS as a vaccine adjuvant, the expression levels of CD80, CD86, MHCI and MHCII activated markers were detected after GAS treatment in vitro and in vivo, and the expression levels of IL-2 and TNF-α in splenocytes were detected after GAS treatment in vivo. Besides, the expression levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in CD4+T cells and perforin, TNF-α and IFN-γ in CD8+T cells were detected. The effects of GAS on the survival rate and tumor size of tumor-challenged mice and the effect of cytotoxicity on CD8+T cells were also investigated. Our data showed that GAS ameliorated CD8+T cell mediated immune response and significantly improved protection of tumor-challenged animals. The results demonstrated that GAS is a potential adjuvant contributing to anticancer immunomodulation.

Cross-reaction patterns in patients with contact allergy to simple methylol phenols.

The low-molecular-weight phenols 2-methylol phenol (2-MP), 4-methylol phenol (4-MP), 2,4,6-trimethylol phenol (2,4,6-MP), 3-methylol phenol (3-MP), 2,4-dimethylol phenol (2,4-MP), and 2,6-dimethylol phenol (2,6-MP) are contact sensitizers in resins based on phenol and formaldehyde (P-F-R). Other chemically related low-molecular-weight phenols are common in the environment. In patients hypersensitive to P-F-R and MPs, it is for diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive reasons necessary to know their cross-reaction patterns, which this study was therefore designed to investigate. In patients with contact allergy to a P-F-R and at least 1 MP, additional patch testing was performed with 6 MPs and 13 chemically related compounds. The 19 substances were tested at equimolar concentrations and in serial dilutions. Investigations by high-performance liquid chromatography were carried out to exclude contamination as the cause of the patch test reactions. Probable cross-reacting substances were o-cresol, p-cresol, salicylaldehyde, 2,4-dimethyl phenol, and 2,6-dimethyl phenol.

Studies of new short-period method for delayed contact hypersensitivity assay in the guinea pig. (2). Studies of the enhancement effect of cyclophosphamide.

The enhancement effect of cyclophosphamide on the delayed contact hypersensitivity reaction of chemical compounds was studied in Hartley albino guinea pigs. A series of assay procedures, combining the AP2 test (adjuvant and 24-h occlusive patch 2x test, as previously reported) with intraperitoneal cyclophosphamide administration, were examined. The newly developed method was as follows; cyclophosphamide 200 mg/kg intraperitoneal administration 3 days before the 1st sensitization of the AP2 test (cyclophosphamide, adjuvant and 24-h occlusive patch 2x test: CAP2 test). Comparing the CAP2 test with the AP2 test, the cumulative contact enhancement test (CCET) and the guinea pig maximization test (GPMT), the CAP2 test equally and/or better enabled the detection of allergenicities not only of strong allergens such as bromostyrol, citronellal, p-phenylenediamine and formaldehyde, but also of weak allergens such as benzyl salicylate and p-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester. Acanthosis and spongiosis in the epidermis and mononuclear cell infiltration into the dermis at the skin reaction site were histopathologically observed. Cyclophosphamide effectively enhanced the delayed contact hypersensitivity reaction of weak allergens.

Contact allergy to 3-methylol phenol, 2,4-dimethylol phenol and 2,6-dimethylol phenol.

Thirteen patients with contact allergy to phenol-formaldehyde resins (P-F-R) were patch tested with 3-methylol phenol, 2,4-dimethylol phenol and 2,6-dimethylol phenol. Nine patients reacted to at least 1 compound, all giving positive test responses to 2,4-dimethylol phenol. Seven patients reacted simultaneously to 2,6-dimethylol phenol while only 1 patient reacted to 3-methylol phenol. Negative test responses were noted in 20 controls. Chemical investigation by high pressure liquid chromatography indicated that the compounds tested were pure and separable. The 3 reported sensitizers may, theoretically, be generated during the manufacture of P-F-R. 2,4-Dimethylol phenol and 2,6-dimethylol phenol have been demonstrated and there has been chromatographic evidence of 3-methylol phenol in the P-F-R used in the routine test series at the department.