title: In vivo and in vitro effects of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine on selected immune functions.
abstract: The in vivo phase of the experiments reported here include the evaluation of immune function after short-or long-term treatment of mice with 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH). Long-term exposure (3 injections/week for 14 weeks) resulted in increased numbers of Jerne plaque-forming cells, a trend toward decreased induction of suppressor cell activity by concanavalin A (Con A), and no effects on mitogen-induced lymphocyte blast transformation (LBT), compared to saline-treated control mice. These effects were greatest at doses of 10 or 50 mg/kg, while higher doses had less of an effect. In vitro experiments were performed by adding UDMH to normal murine splenocytes in the LBT assay and con A-induced suppressor cell assay. The UDMH induced a significant enhanced response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 10 and 50 micrograms/ml, and a suppressed response to both Con A and LPS at higher concentrations. The UDMH also caused a decrease in suppressor cell activity at 25 micrograms/ml. Selective abrogation of suppressor activity or alteration of the suppressor cell-helper ratio were suggested as possible mechanisms for the enhancement effect associated with UDMH.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004127:Dimethylhydrazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008763:Methylhydrazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004127:Dimethylhydrazines; D008763:Methylhydrazines