Effects of pidotimod soluble powder and immune enhancement of Newcastle disease vaccine in chickens.

The aims of this study were to prepare pidotimod (PDM) soluble powder and to investigate the immune enhancement properties of PDM in chickens vaccinated with Newcastle disease virus vaccine. In vivo experiment, 360 6-day-old chickens were averagely divided into 6 groups. The chickens, except blank control (BC) group, were vaccinated with Newcastle disease vaccine (NDV). At the same time of the vaccination, the chickens in three PDM groups were given water with PDM for 5days, respectively, with the PDM at low, medium and high concentrations (0.25g/L, 0.5g/L, 1g/L), in control drug group was treated with 0.2ml/PDM dose via drinking water, in vaccination control (VC) and BC group, with equal volume physiological saline, once a day for five successive days. On days 14, 21 and 28 after the vaccination, the growth performance, the lymphocyte proliferation, serum antibody titer, the CD4/CD8 cell ratios and interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) were measured. The results showed that PDM at suitable dose could significantly promote growth performance, lymphocyte proliferation, enhance serum antibody titer, CD4/CD8 cell ratios and improve serum IL-2 and IFN-γ concentrations. It indicated that PDM could significantly improve the immune efficacy of Newcastle disease vaccine using doses of 0.5g/L, these results are consistent with the drug acting as an immunopotentiator.

Immunomodulating activity of Pidotimod in children with Down syndrome.

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are the most frequent illnesses in pediatric age, frequently experienced in children with Down Syndrome (DS) due to the associated immune defects of both specific and non-specific immunity. Pidotimod, a synthetic immunostimulant, was shown to reduce the rates of ARTIs in children with DS, however the mechanisms associated with this effect is currently unknown. We analyzed immune parameters in DS children who received the seasonal 2011–2012 virosomal-adjuvanted influenza vaccine. Eighteen children aged 3-10 years (mean age 7.1+/-2.6 years) were randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) to receive Pidotimod 400 mg, administered orally once a day for 90 days or placebo. At the recruitment (T0) all children received a single dose of virosomal-adjuvanted influenza vaccine (Flu). Blood samples were collected at T0 and 3 months after the recruitment (T3) in order to evaluate innate and adaptative immune responses pathway. Flu-specific IgG1 and IgG3 levels in plasma samples were determined at pre-vaccination (T0), and 1 (T1) and 3 months (T3) post-vaccination. The use of Pidotimod was associated with the upregulation of a number of genes involved in the activation of innate immune responses and in antimicrobial activity. Interestingly the ratio of Flu-specific IgG1/IgG3 was skewed in pidotimod-treated individuals, suggesting a preferential activation of complement-dependent effector mechanisms. Although preliminary these data suggest that Pidotimod can potentiate the beneficial effect of immunization, possibly resulting in a stronger activity of both innate and adaptive immune responses.