Hyperthermia and human leukocyte functions: effects on response of lymphocytes to mitogen and antigen and bactericidal capacity of monocytes and neutrophils

Abstract

It has recently been demonstrated that fever, or hyperthermia, results in enhanced survival of lizards infected by Aeromonas hydrophila. In the present study, the effects of hyperthermia on certain immune functions were assayed in vitro with purified human leukocytes. Lymphocyte transformation responses to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin and the common antigen streptokinase-streptodornase were enhanced at 38.5 degrees C relative to 37 degrees C whether analyzed according to absolute counts per minute of incorporated tritiated thymidine or according to stimulation indexes. Enhancement of response was not accompanied by acceleration of response. Augmentation of transformation response was generally not seen at 40 degrees C; incubation at that temperature was associated with decreased cellular viability. Significant, though small, increases of the bactericidal capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes at 40 degrees C relative to 37 degrees C were shown at 1 h with Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes, but not with Staphylococcus aureus. Mononuclear phagocytes did not show enhanced bactericidal capacity at the elevated temperature with any of these organisms in this in vitro system. Hyperthermia may enhance certain host defense mechanisms and warrants further study.

Age‐related alterations in superoxide anion generation in mouse peritoneal macrophages studied by repeated stimulations and heat shock treatment

“…Several studies implicated a relationship between inflammation and the production of HSPs (Karlsson et al, 1990;Cosgrove and Brown, 1983). Few studies, however, investigated how phagocyte functions such as RB activation are affected by heat stress (Roberts et al, 1977;Johansen et al, 1983). It has been suggested, though, that HSPs synthesized as a result of RB activation have a protective function that enables the macrophage to participate in protective immunity (Clerget and Polla, 1990).…”

In vitro lymphocyte proliferation induced by radio‐frequency electromagnetic radiation under isothermal conditions

“…Temperature effects on lymphocyte blastogenesis in vitro have been well documented [e.g., Roberts and Steigbigel, 1977;Smith et al, 1978;Ashman and Nahmias, 19781. The temperature sensitivity of lymphocyte blastogenesis makes it difficult, if not impossible, to interpret results of RF-exposure studies in vivo or in vitro if temperatures were not precisely and accurately controlled.…”

Temperature Effects on Legionella pneumophila Killing by and Multiplication in Phagocytes of Guinea Pigs

“…We previously showed that T cell-mediated immunity began to work 5 days after infection with a sublethal dose of L. pneumophila in guinea pigs (15). Some studies indicated that hyperthermia was associated with enhancement of lymphocyte response to mitogen and antigen, by a commonly used assay for cell-mediated immunity (21,26). The febrile states observed in guinea pigs might promote the early development of a delayedtype skin reaction and blastoid transformation of spleen cells to L. pneumophila antigens.…”