TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide on humoral immune responses to acetylcholine receptors in the rat
AU - Pestronk, Alan
AU - Teoh, Robert
AU - Sims, Christopher
AU - Drachman, Daniel B.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by NIH Grants (5ROl HD04817 and to R. N. Adams for technical assistance and to C. F. Barlow-Salemi of the manuscript.
PY - 1985/11
Y1 - 1985/11
N2 - The effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on the humoral immune responses to acetylcholine receptors (AChR) were studied in rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis. DMSO was administered during primary, ongoing, and secondary phases of the immune response to AChR. Anti-AChR antibody titers were measured to determine the effect of the treatment. DMSO had pronounced effects on the humoral immune response, which differed depending on the stage of the response and the strength of antigenic stimulation. When given during an ongoing immune response, DMSO suppressed anti-AChR antibody levels by an average of 53-76%. This effect was similar whether DMSO was given by oral, rectal, or intraperitoneal routes. DMSO treatment also suppressed the anti-AChR antibody response to a weak primary antigenic stimulus to a similar extent. In contrast, when administered during a secondary or a strong primary immunization, DMSO enhanced the anti-AChR antibody response 1.7- to 2.8-fold. These results show that DMSO may either enhance or suppress humoral immune responses. Further studies will be required to analyze the cellular mechanisms underlying the actions of DMSO.
AB - The effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on the humoral immune responses to acetylcholine receptors (AChR) were studied in rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis. DMSO was administered during primary, ongoing, and secondary phases of the immune response to AChR. Anti-AChR antibody titers were measured to determine the effect of the treatment. DMSO had pronounced effects on the humoral immune response, which differed depending on the stage of the response and the strength of antigenic stimulation. When given during an ongoing immune response, DMSO suppressed anti-AChR antibody levels by an average of 53-76%. This effect was similar whether DMSO was given by oral, rectal, or intraperitoneal routes. DMSO treatment also suppressed the anti-AChR antibody response to a weak primary antigenic stimulus to a similar extent. In contrast, when administered during a secondary or a strong primary immunization, DMSO enhanced the anti-AChR antibody response 1.7- to 2.8-fold. These results show that DMSO may either enhance or suppress humoral immune responses. Further studies will be required to analyze the cellular mechanisms underlying the actions of DMSO.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0021995151&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0090-1229(85)90148-5
DO - 10.1016/0090-1229(85)90148-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 3876185
AN - SCOPUS:0021995151
SN - 0090-1229
VL - 37
SP - 172
EP - 178
JO - Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology
JF - Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology
IS - 2
ER -