Abstract: An immunosuppressive animal model induced by physical stress that forced mice to swim in cold water (14±1 ºC) and the restorative effect of Tremella polysac charide (TP) on the suppressed immune function by stress were studied in mice. It was found that the spleen plaque forming cell (PFC) response to sheep red blood cells, delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (DCH) induced by dinitrochlorobenzene and the lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A) were significantly decreased in stressed mice. In addition. The maximal decrease of PFC was reached in 9-12 days after stress. A-drenolectomy could not affect the decrease of PFC in stressed mice. TP(200, 400 mg/kg) ig for 8-14 days significantly restored the PFC.DCH and lymphocyte proliferation to nor- mal level in stressed mice.

Key words: Tremella polysaccharide, Physical stress, Plaque forming cell (PFC), Delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (DCH), Lymphocyte proliferation