Immune suppression and histophysiology of the immune response. I. Cortisone acetate and lymphoid cell migration.
Seven daily intramuscular (im) injections of cortisone acetate (25 mg/Kg b.w.) given to rats or rabbits produced, (i) a pronounced reduction in the numbers of small lymphocytes in thymus-independent areas, (ii) atrophy of the thymic cortex, (iii) atrophy of germinal centres and (iv) a consequent depressed production of germinal centre-derived cells. Lymphocyte depletion was not caused by cell lysis. Moreover cell traffic between peripheral lymphoid organs did not seem to be altered. A revival of the depressed germinal centres in cortisone-treated (inbred) rats could be achieved by a transfer of bone-marrow cell suspensions from normal, cortisone-treated or T-cell-deprived animals. It was concluded that cortisone acetate arrests the migration of B-lymphocytes from the bone marrow to germinal centres in peripheral lymphoid organs, and that the accumulations of lymphoid cells in the bone marrow of cortison-treated animals might be composed of immature or mature T- and B-lymphocytes.
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D003348:Cortisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D007114:Immunization; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
D003348:Cortisone