In Vivo Anti-Influenza Virus Activity of Kampo (Japanese Herbal) Medicine “Sho-Seiryu-To”—Effects on Aged Mice, Against Subtypes of a Viruses and B Virus, and Therapeutic Effect

When aged BALB/c mice (∼6 months old) were treated with a Kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine “Sho-seiryu-to (SST)” (1 g/kg, 10 times) orally from 7 days before to 4 days after the infection and infected with mouse-adapted influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (H1N1 subtype) by nasal site-restricted infection, replication of the virus in the broncho-alveolar cavity was efficiently inhibited at 5 days after infection in comparison with water-treated mice. The antiviral IgA antibody in the broncho-alveolar wash of the SST treated aged mice increased significantly. When mice (7 weeks old) were administered orally with SST (1 and 2 g/kg, 7 times) from 4 days before to 3 days after the infection and infected with mouse-adapted influenza virus A/Guizhou/54/89 (H3N2 subtype) or B/Ibaraki/2/85, replication of the viruses in the nasal cavity and lung were significantly inhibited at 4 days after infection in comparison with control mice. When mice infected with influenza virus A/Fukuoka/C29/85 (H3N2) before 14 days were secondary infected with A/PR/8 virus and administered orally with SST (1 g/kg, 5 times) from 2 h to 5 days after the secondary infection, replication of the virus in both nasal and broncho-alveolar cavities were significantly inhibited at 5 days after the secondary infection in comparison with water-treated control. Oral administration of SST (1 g/kg, 18 times) from 7 days before to 14 days after vaccination followed by secondary nasal inoculation of influenza HA vaccine (5 µglmouse) at 14 days after the first vaccination significantly augmented nasal antiviral IgA antibody and broncho-alveolar and serum antiviral IgG antibodies. These results suggest that SST is useful for influenza virus infection on aged persons and for cross-protection of subtypes of influenza A viruses and influenza B virus. SST is also useful for the treatment of influenza virus infection on human which has a history of influenza virus infection and/or influenza vaccination.     

“In Vivo Effects of rIL-2 Pretreatment on Chemotherapeutically Induced In Vivo Natural Cytolytic Hyporesponsiveness”

Chemotherapeutics have been shown to have detrimental effects on immune response, hence, pretreatment or concurrent use of an immune augmentation substance could lead to reconstitution of an immune response such as cytolytic activity after administration of chemo-therapeutic agent. Previously, in an in vitro system, we have demonstrated IL-2 pretreatment reconstituted drug induced immunosuppression as well as altered differential sensitivities to chemo-therapeutic agents. This study presents evidence that in vivo functional cytolytic potential can be retained by IL-2 pretreatment on chemotherapeutically-induced natural cytolytic hyporesponsiveness.     

Induction of Antinuclear Antibodies in Mice Inoculated with Pauscher Leukemogenic Virus: Possible Role of Genetic Factors in “Non-New Zealand” Strains

Mice belonqing to strains with a low incidence of spontaneous antinuclear antibodies (C 57 B1/6, BALB/c, C3H/eb and their F1 hybrids) were inoculated with a given dose of Rauscher leukemgenic virus (RLV). Two months after inoculation, a significant increase in ANF incidence was observed in c/B6 and C3H/B6 F1 hybrids, but not in C3H/c hybrids or in the three parental strains.

These results, compared to those observed in other experimental models, suggest that several genes are implicated in ANG induction by RLV, and chat one of them could play a role in the handling of chronic infection with this leukemgenic virus.     

Hoffmann et al., “A Microarray Model System Identifies Poetential New Target Genes of the Proto‐oncogene HOX11”. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2004; 41:309–320

The original article to which this Erratum refers was published in Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer (2004) 41(4) 309–320 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.20104