[Immuno-responsiveness in rats: the establishment of immune-enhancing and immune-suppressing animal Models].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic variation of AVP mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus during immune responses in rats and further reveal the genetic modulating mechanisms by which nervous system modulates the immune function. METHODS: The multiple points, locations and ways of bull serum albumin (BSA) injection were used to establish immune-enhancing animal models, and the lower doses and 1 day interval of CY intraperitoneal injection were used to establish immune-suppressing animal models. In the different periods of the immune response, the serum and the brain of the same rat were taken to be tested at the same time. RESULTS: Six days after primary antigen stimulating the levels of IgG and IL-2 began to escalate, and 6 days after the antigen restimulating the IgG and IL-2 reached the highest level. After the first two CY injections the levels of IgG and IL-2 began to decline, and after 4 CY injections the IgG and IL-2 reached the lowest level. CONCLUSION: BSA and CY are ideal agents for establishing immune-enhancing and immune-suppressing animal models. BSA could enhance both the humorous and cellular immune function directly. The CY could directly suppress the cellular immune function, but it could indirectly suppress the humorous immune function.