In vivo depletion of macrophages by desulfated iota-carrageenan in mice.
Almost 90% of the sulfate groups of iota-carrageenan (CGN) was removed with acid-methanol in an attempt to obtain a product which would selectively eliminate macrophages in mice. Desulfated CGN(DS-CGN) failed to induce in vivo polyclonal antibody production in DBA/2 mice. However, the number of phagocytes in the peritoneal cavity, spleen, thymus and lymph node of DBA/2 mice was reduced stringently by DS-CGN treatment. The number of Mac-1 positive cells(macrophages) in DS-CGN-treated mice gradually decreased for at least 7 days after the last injection of DS-CGN. In contrast, the relative proportion of T and B lymphocytes in the lymphoid organs was unaffected by DS-CGN treatment. DS-CGN suppressed antibody responses to SRBC, a T cell and macrophage-dependent antigen, but no such suppressive effect was observed in the polyclonal antibody responses to LPS, a T cell and macrophage-independent B cell activator. Furthermore, the impaired SRBC antibody responses in DS-CGN-treated mice were restored following transfer of adherent cells but not T cells. These experimental results indicate that DS-CGN selectively eliminates macrophages without influencing lymphocyte function in vivo.
Ishizaka
S
S
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University, Japan.
Kuriyama
S
S
Tsujii
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D002351:Carrageenan