Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the immunomodulatory effects of the Meretrix meretrix oligopeptide (MMO, QLNWD) in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immune-deficient mice. Compared to untreated, CTX-induced immune-deficient mice, the spleen and thymus indexes of mice given moderate (100 mg/kg) and high (200 mg/kg) doses of MMO were significantly higher (p < 0.05), and body weight loss was alleviated. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining revealed that MMO reduced spleen injury, thymus injury, and liver injury induced by CTX in mice. Furthermore, MMO boosted the production of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and hemolysin in the serum and promoted the proliferation and differentiation of spleen T-lymphocytes. Taken together, our findings suggest that MMO plays a vital role in protection against immunosuppression in CTX-induced immune-deficient mice and could be a potential immunomodulatory candidate for use in functional foods or immunologic adjuvants.
Highlights
Immunoregulation can be broadly divided into positive regulation and negative regulation, both of which are the result of complex regulation of the immune system
We investigated the immunomodulatory effect of this oligopeptide in vitro [21], and our results indicated that Meretrix meretrix oligopeptide (MMO) has the effect of promoting the activation of RAW264.7 cells and the potential to enhance the non-specific immunity
The body weight of mice in the disease model became stable after 7 days, as it seems that CTX can cause immunodeficiency in mice, resulting in reduced appetite
Summary
Immunoregulation can be broadly divided into positive regulation and negative regulation, both of which are the result of complex regulation of the immune system. There are many types of immunomodulators, such as bacterial preparations (e.g., lipopolysaccharide (LPS)), chemical preparations (e.g., cyclophosphamide (CTX)), and biochemical preparations (e.g., thymosin) [4]. Some chemical immunomodulators have serious side effects, which have a specific inhibitory effect on the cause of immune diseases, and have general inhibitory effects on normal tissue cells [5]. Inhibits natural killer (NK) cells and T cells, which are key participants in the immune system, and limits the success of immunotherapy [7]. Immunomodulators from natural extracts have attracted much attention in the field due to their lesser side-effects when used in humans [8,9]. Hong et al [10] showed that Cervus nippon mantchuricus extract (NGE) has immuno-enhancing effects
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