Abstract
Many clinicians have observed the influence of emotional stress on the prognosis of infectious disease, autoimmune disease and malignant neoplasia. Recently, the immune system is regarded to be similar to the central nervous system and endocrine system to maintain the homeostasis of the body. Furthermore, recent basic studies of immunology clarify its similarity to the central nervous system to maintain the integrity of the organism in relation to the external environment.This suggests that the immune system is very important as a pathway through which emotion influences the prognosis of the cancer patient.In order to clarify this pathway in detail, the authors utilized the animal experiment. C3H/He mice are used to be recipients for transplantation ofEL-4 leukemia cell. Sterssed groups were given sterss by buzzer and electricity for three days before and following the immunization. EL-4 cells (5×10) were injected in the subcutane of mice recipient). Eleven days after immunization, spleen cells (effector cell) of the recipient were prepared and cytotoxity tests were performet. 51-Cr traced target cells (EL-4 cell) and effector cells (spleen cells) were incubated for four hours and then released 51-Cr in supernatant was measeured. Results were that suppression of cytotoxity occurred in the stressed groups.In another experiment, using CRBC (chicken red blood cell) instead of EL-4 cells, stress also suuppressed the function of cytotoxity of killer cells.Our two experiments show that stress can influence the function of the killer cell and suppress its cytotoxicity.
