Respiratory burst of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in response to the galactoside-specific mistletoe lectin

Luminol-based chemiluminescent signals: clinical and non-clinical application and future uses

Chemiluminescence (CL) is an important method for quantification and analysis of various macromolecules. A wide range of CL agents such as luminol, hydrogen peroxide, fluorescein, dioxetanes and derivatives of oxalate, and acridinium dyes are used according to their biological specificity and utility. This review describes the application of luminol chemiluminescence (LCL) in forensic, biomedical, and clinical sciences. LCL is a very useful detection method due to its selectivity, simplicity, low cost, and high sensitivity. LCL has a dynamic range of applications, including quantification and detection of macro and micromolecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, DNA, and RNA. Luminol-based methods are used in environmental monitoring as biosensors, in the pharmaceutical industry for cellular localization and as biological tracers, and in reporter gene-based assays and several other immunoassays. Here, we also provide information about different compounds that may enhance or inhibit the LCL along with the effect of pH and concentration on LCL. This review covers most of the significant information related to the applications of luminol in different fields.

Mistletoe lectins enhance immune responses to intranasally co-administered herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D2

The mucosal adjuvant properties of the three type 2 ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) from the European mistletoe, Viscum album L., were investigated. Mistletoe lectins were compared with cholera toxin (CT) as adjuvants when delivered nasotracheally together with herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D2 (gD2). All three mistletoe lectins (MLI, MLII, MLIII) were potent mucosal adjuvants. Co-administration of MLI, MLII or MLIII with gD2 led to significantly higher levels of gD2-specific mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) and systemic immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody than when the antigen was delivered alone. The levels of antibodies induced were similar to those generated in mice immunized with gD2 and the potent mucosal adjuvant CT. Administration of ML1 with gD2 enhanced the antigen-specific splenic T-cell proliferative response. Interleukin-5 (IL-5), but not interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), was detected in supernatants from splenocytes stimulated in vitro with gD2. This indicates that MLI enhanced type 2 T-helper cell (Th2) responses to the bystander antigen, gD2. Analysis of the gD2- and lectin-specific IgG subclass titres in mice immunized with gD2 and MLI, MLII or MLIII revealed a high ratio of IgG1 : IgG2a, which is compatible with the selective induction of Th2-type immune responses.