title: Selective immunomodulation by the antineoplastic agent mitoxantrone. I. Suppression of B lymphocyte function.
abstract: Novantrone mitoxantrone, an antineoplastic agent with antiproliferative properties, is under investigation as an immunomodulating agent. The impact of mitoxantrone treatment on B lymphocyte reactivity is presented here. Administered i.p. in H2O at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg, daily for 14 days, mitoxantrone abrogated both the in vivo antibody response (to ovalbumin) and the in vitro plaque-forming cell (PFC) response (to SRC). In addition to the effects on thymus-dependent reactivity, PFC responses to the thymus-independent antigens TNP-LPS and TNP-Ficoll were also inhibited when tested in vivo or in vitro. B cells were identified as a target for the suppressive activity of mitoxantrone by using T cell-replacing factor to reconstitute the in vitro anti-SRC PFC response of a T lymphocyte-depleted spleen cell preparation. LPS-induced B cell mitogenesis was largely inhibited by mitoxantrone treatment. However, depletion of Sephadex G-10-adherent cells significantly restored the proliferative response. Flow cytometric analysis revealed a dramatic decrease in splenic B lymphocyte content. Therefore, mitoxantrone exerted a potent suppressive influence on the humoral immune system through a direct reduction in B cell number augmented by macrophage-mediated inhibition of B cell proliferation.
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015848:Interleukin-5; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000502:physiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008942:Mitoxantrone
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000880:Anthraquinones; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015848:Interleukin-5; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008222:Lymphokines; D008942:Mitoxantrone