ABSTRACT
The ergolines action on the immune system has been studied scarcely. Here, we will discuss the present state of knowledge on this field, and results concerning ergolines effect on certain subpopulations of lymphoid cells. The immunomodulatory effects of ergolines can be derived from the relationship between immunocytes and cells of the neuroendocrine compartment, the primary targets of ergoline compounds. Some of these data have been demonstrated in various in vitro and in vivo experimental systems. The recent research has been devoted predominantly to the immunosuppressive effect of dopaminergic and prolactin inhibitory ergopeptines. Studies from our department dealing with wide panel of ergolines (mostly prepared by Prof. Eich), and their direct action on lymphoid cells were provided by Šterzl et al. (1987)—modulation of B cells antibody production, and by Fišerová et al. (1991, 1995, 1996, 1997)— concerning modulation of cytotoxic (NK, T) cell effector functions. The ergolines cytostatic effect on tumour cells have been described in previous chapter by Eich and Pertz (Chapter 15). We will discuss here the effect of ergot alkaloids on tumour regression process from the immunological point of view, particularly the modulation of natural killer (NK) cell effector functions.
