Influence of Blockade of Beta-Adrenoreceptors and Acute Stress on Antibody Formation, Delayed Type of Hypersensitivity, Phagocytic Cell Activity in Local Immune Response

Shilov JI, Gein SV, Chereshnev VA

Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Perm, Russia

Russ. J. Immunol. 2001, October 15, 6 (3), 301-308

In the experiments on male Wistar rats a study was made on the effect of acute 6-h immobilization stress on antibody formation, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), functional activity of phagocytes in the case of a local form of immune response to sheep red blood cells at the background of b-adrenergic receptor blockade. It was established that immobilization stress resulted in substantial inhibition of the expressibility of immune inflammation in the case of DTH, cancellation of an increase of the phagocytic activity of macrophages of the regional lymph node and the level of antibodies. The blockade of the beta-adrenergic receptors with propranolol antagonized with these effects of stress. After termination of the immobilization, activation of neutrophil phagocytosis was detected, this being related to an increase of neutrophil immigration from the bone marrow. Eosinophilic phagocytosis at the early period of stress was inhibited, the blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors canceled this effect.