title: CuSO4 as an inhibitor of B cell proliferation.
abstract: In the course of investigating the mechanisms of the in vitro immunosuppressive effect of D-penicillamine in the presence of copper ion with murine spleen cells, we observed that copper ion, by itself, exhibited a strong immunosuppressive effect at a low concentration. Namely, the addition of CuSO4 at a concentration of 0.1 to 2 microM markedly inhibited the development of SRBC-specific plaque forming cells (PFC) without causing cytotoxicity. CuSO4, at the same concentration range, suppressed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proliferative response, but not the response induced by concanavalin A (Con A). The suppressive effect of CuSO4 on the antibody production was reversed by 500 U/ml of catalase, but that on the LPS-induced proliferative response was not. CuSO4 also substantially suppressed the pokeweed mitogen-induced proliferative response. These findings suggest that CuSO4 acts as an inhibitor of B cell proliferation and, through this effect, markedly inhibits the antibody production in murine spleen cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000276:immunology; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019327:Copper Sulfate; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D003208:Concanavalin A; D003300:Copper; D010396:Penicillamine; D019327:Copper Sulfate