Effect of Selected Amino Acid and Amino Sugar Derivatives on the Immune Response

Abstract

The low molecular weight amino acids, N-a-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-lysine and L-lysine, and the amino sugar derivative, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, were examined for effects on the immune response of mice to sheep erythrocytes. Treatment dosages of 1000, 100, 50 and 10 mg/kg of the test compounds did not alter the body weight, organ weight or peripheral leucocyte count of test mice. Mice given N-a-benzyloxycarbonyl- L-lysine demonstrated significant increases or decreases in the splenic plaqueforming cell response to sheep erythrocytes depending on the treatment regimen employed. Animals given N-acetyl-D-glucosamine showed an increase in the splenic plaque forming cell response while those receiving L-lysine had no detectable alteration.