Immunology 1978 34 927
Simultaneous stimulation and suppression of two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response by the immunoregulator dextran sulphate
R. E. McCARTHY & G. F. B ABCOC K* Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A.
Received 15 August 1977; acceptedfor publication 22 September 1977
Summary. The effect of high mol. wt dextran sulphate (DS) on two different indicators of the cellmediated immune response was studied simultaneously in the same animal. The two indicators of the cell-mediated immune response chosen for this study were the footpad swelling response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and skin allograft rejection. Mice receiving DS and SRBC showed a significant increase in the delayed-type footpad swelling response over the controls at 24 and 48 h after challenge, while in addition, the same mice showed a significant suppression of the delayed-type response to allograft antigens as indicated by a significant delay in rejection time of allografts. The results presented here show that DS is capable of simultaneously stimulating and suppressing two indicators of the cell-mediated immune response in the same animal. INTRODUCTION
mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity response to egg albumin and sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice and to egg albumin in guinea-pigs (McCarthy, Arnold, & Babcock, 1977). Recently, our laboratory demonstrated that DS suppressed skin allograft rejection in mice and the tuberculin skin reaction in guinea-pigs (Babcock & McCarthy, 1977). Because both suppression and stimulation of cellmediated immune responses were observed in mice in separate experiments using the same dose, route and time of administration of DS, we decided to determine the effect of DS on two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response simultaneously in the same animal. We chose the footpad swelling response to SRBC, previously shown to be enhanced by DS, and skin allograft rejection previously shown to be suppressed by DS. We report here that the immunoregulator DS is capable of simultaneously stimulating and suppressing two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response in the same animal.
Dextran sulphate (DS), mol. wt 5 x 105, has been shown to be a potent adjuvant for enhancing the cell-
MATERIALS AND METHODS
* Present address: Department of Bacteriology and Animals Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Random bred male CFW mice (Carworth Farms, Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, U.S.A. Portage, Michigan) and inbred female MA mice Correspondence: Dr R. E. McCarthy, Department of (Eppley Cancer Institute, Omaha, Nebraska) from Medical Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68105, U.S.A. 6 to 10-weeks-old were used in all experiments. 0019-2805/78/0500-0927 $02.00 (D 1978 Blackwell Scientific Publications
927
R. E. McCarthy & G. F. Babcock
928
Table 1. Effect of DS on the cell-mediated immune response in CFW mice as indicated by the footpad swelling response and the survival time of MA allografts Treatment Dosage of DS*
Group 1 2 3 4
No. of mice DayOt 12 15 9 10
200 200 None 200
Footpad swelling:
Skin graft rejection
Antigen Day 0
Day 8
Allograft SRBC and challenge SRBC Allograft None Allograft None SRBC SRBC
Days until rejection 24 h
P
Simultaneous stimulation and suppression of two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response by the immunoregulator dextran sulphate
R. E. McCARTHY & G. F. B ABCOC K* Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A.
Received 15 August 1977; acceptedfor publication 22 September 1977
Summary. The effect of high mol. wt dextran sulphate (DS) on two different indicators of the cellmediated immune response was studied simultaneously in the same animal. The two indicators of the cell-mediated immune response chosen for this study were the footpad swelling response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and skin allograft rejection. Mice receiving DS and SRBC showed a significant increase in the delayed-type footpad swelling response over the controls at 24 and 48 h after challenge, while in addition, the same mice showed a significant suppression of the delayed-type response to allograft antigens as indicated by a significant delay in rejection time of allografts. The results presented here show that DS is capable of simultaneously stimulating and suppressing two indicators of the cell-mediated immune response in the same animal. INTRODUCTION
mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity response to egg albumin and sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice and to egg albumin in guinea-pigs (McCarthy, Arnold, & Babcock, 1977). Recently, our laboratory demonstrated that DS suppressed skin allograft rejection in mice and the tuberculin skin reaction in guinea-pigs (Babcock & McCarthy, 1977). Because both suppression and stimulation of cellmediated immune responses were observed in mice in separate experiments using the same dose, route and time of administration of DS, we decided to determine the effect of DS on two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response simultaneously in the same animal. We chose the footpad swelling response to SRBC, previously shown to be enhanced by DS, and skin allograft rejection previously shown to be suppressed by DS. We report here that the immunoregulator DS is capable of simultaneously stimulating and suppressing two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response in the same animal.
Dextran sulphate (DS), mol. wt 5 x 105, has been shown to be a potent adjuvant for enhancing the cell-
MATERIALS AND METHODS
* Present address: Department of Bacteriology and Animals Immunology, School of Medicine, University of North Random bred male CFW mice (Carworth Farms, Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, U.S.A. Portage, Michigan) and inbred female MA mice Correspondence: Dr R. E. McCarthy, Department of (Eppley Cancer Institute, Omaha, Nebraska) from Medical Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68105, U.S.A. 6 to 10-weeks-old were used in all experiments. 0019-2805/78/0500-0927 $02.00 (D 1978 Blackwell Scientific Publications
927
R. E. McCarthy & G. F. Babcock
928
Table 1. Effect of DS on the cell-mediated immune response in CFW mice as indicated by the footpad swelling response and the survival time of MA allografts Treatment Dosage of DS*
Group 1 2 3 4
No. of mice DayOt 12 15 9 10
200 200 None 200
Footpad swelling:
Skin graft rejection
Antigen Day 0
Day 8
Allograft SRBC and challenge SRBC Allograft None Allograft None SRBC SRBC
Days until rejection 24 h
P
