Effect of hydrocortisone on immune system of the lizard, Chalcides ocellatus. III. Effect on cellular and humoral immune responses.
Administration of a single injection of 1.0 mg/g body weight hydrocortisone acetate (HC) to adult lizards, Chalcides ocellatus in summer elicited a high and lasting rise in serum corticosterone and cortisol, peak levels being, however, in the physiologic ranges of 10 micrograms % (2 X 10(-7) M) and 40 micrograms % (1 X 10(-6) M), respectively. Elevation of serum corticosteroid (CS) concentrations by exogenous HC impaired the proliferative capacity of spleen cells in mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) and significantly delayed skin allograft rejection. In vivo HC also abrogated the primary in vivo and in vitro immune responses of lizards to rat erythrocytes (RRBC). Reactivity to allogeneic cells in MLR, and antibody production against RRBC were, however, recovered when serum CS levels resumed normal, basal values i.e. at three weeks post-HC injection. These data indicate that rise in circulating CS induces severe immunosuppression in lizards.
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000187:drug effects; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008116:Lizards / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D006854:Hydrocortisone