       Document 0064
 DOCN  M95A0064
 TI    Reversal of ferritin-mediated immunosuppression by levamisole: a
       rationale for its application to management of the acquired immune
       deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
 DT    9510
 AU    Wigginton JM
 SO    Med Hypotheses. 1995 Feb;44(2):85-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95319356
 AB    Ferritin is a complex polypeptide which functions primarily as an
       iron-storage protein. Ferritin may also play a role in the modulation of
       immune function. It is known to suppress several global measures of the
       immune response. Specifically, ferritin may mask and/or down-regulate
       expression of cell surface molecules important in T-cell activation and
       effector functions. These interactions may become pathologically
       significant in conditions where marked hyperferritinemia occurs, most
       notably malignancies and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
       Levamisole appears to possess immunomodulatory properties and be capable
       of disrupting the interaction of ferritin with T lymphocytes. This
       activity may be therapeutically useful in conditions of ferritin excess,
       such as progressive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and its
       associated opportunistic complications.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*THERAPY  AIDS-Related Opportunistic
       Infections/*PREVENTION & CONTROL  Biological Response
       Modifiers/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Ferritin/*ANTAGONISTS & INHIB/PHYSIOLOGY
       Human  Immune Tolerance/*DRUG EFFECTS
       Levamisole/*PHARMACOLOGY/THERAPEUTIC USE  T-Lymphocyte Subsets/DRUG
       EFFECTS/IMMUNOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE  REVIEW  REVIEW, TUTORIAL

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

