Abstract
Summary
Guinea pigs were injected with 1-triiodothyronine in doses ranging from 10 μg to 25 μg daily over 4 weeks of treatment. Assay of acid phosphatase content of peritoneal leucocytes performed at the end of that time revealed a significantly greater quantity of this lysosome-bound enzyme in peritoneal exudate cells of treated animals as compared with controls. It is suggested that the enhanced bactericidal activity of reticuloendothelial cells in 1-triiodothyronine-treated animals may be related to an increased cell content of lysosomal enzymes, including acid phosphatase, with resultant functional increases in the cytopeptic activity of these cells.
The 1-triiodothyronine used in these experiments was kindly provided by Dr. A. E. Heming of Smith, Kline and French Laboratories. The technical assistance of Nili Kratka is gratefully acknowledged.
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