Characterization of Inhibitor(s) of Lymphocyte Activation in Serum from Rats with Adjuvant Arthritis

Abstract

Serum from adjuvant arthritic rats inhibits the concanavalin A- (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide-induced stimulation of lymph node cells, leaving the basal and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated ³H-thymidine incorporation unaffected. Con A-stimulated ³H-thymidine uptake is also inhibited in rat spleen and peripheral blood lymphocytes and in dog peripheral blood lymphocytes. The intensity of the inhibitory activity in serum is positively correlated with the intensity of the secondary lesions of adjuvant arthritis. Inhibitory activity was not found in serum from rats bearing nystatin-induced inflammation. Serum fractionation studies indicated that the inhibitory activity cannot be attributed to low molecular weight α₂-glycoproteins or to γ-globulins and α₂-macroglobulins, but it is present in a fraction migrating with β-globulins. The inhibitory activity in arthritic rat serum is reduced by treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but is unaltered by D-penicillamine. It is suggested that this inhibitory activity is part of the systemic response to an immunologically mediated inflammation.