title: Suppression of mitogen- and antigen-induced lymphocyte proliferation by lanthanides.
abstract: Lanthanide ions (Ln3+) inhibited the proliferative response of human lymphocytes to various polyclonal mitogens and the 'purified protein derivative' (PPD) of the tuberculin antigen. Of the four Ln3+ ions tested lanthanum (La3+) was the strongest inhibitor; erbium (Er3+) and lutetium (Lu3+) were only weakly active, while samarium (Sm3+) had intermediate potency. At a concentration of 1 mM, La3+ almost completely inhibited the uptake of [3H]-thymidine by lymphocytes exposed to mitogenic agents. Trypan blue exclusion tests confirmed that the La3+ ions were not toxic. These findings may bear upon the reported anti-inflammatory properties of the lanthanides.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory for Biomaterials, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamage
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations; D004871:Erbium / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007811:Lanthanum / Q000494:pharmacology; D008187:Lutetium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012493:Samarium / Q000494:pharmacology; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth; D008934:Mitogens; D014373:Tuberculin; D012493:Samarium; D008187:Lutetium; D007811:Lanthanum; D004871:Erbium