Effect of anesthesia on the immune system: suppression of the immunogenic capacity of macrophages and of lymphocyte transformation.
Experiments were carried out aimed at investigating the effects of anesthesia without surgery on certain functional components of the immune system. We observed that the immunogenic antigen-presenting capacity of mouse peritoneal macrophages was significantly reduced one week post-anesthesia, with either injected or inhaled anesthetic drugs. On the other hand, an augmentation of the phagocytic activities of these macrophages was manifested. Hence, the impaired immunogenic potency could not be attributed to a reduced antigen uptake. Lymphocyte transformations, i.e., response to PHA and Con A were suppressed, whereas the response to LPS was augmented.
Dagan
O
O
Department of Pediatrics A, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel.
Segal
S
S
Tzehoval
E
E
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D013864:Thioglycolates / Q000494:pharmacology
D013864:Thioglycolates