The effect of lidocaine on the processing of soluble immune aggregates and immune complexes by peritoneal macrophages.
In a search for new techniques which would specifically identify the various steps of the handling of immune complexes by macrophages the local anaesthetic, lidocaine, was investigated. Lidocaine was shown to inhibit selectively the digestion of immune complexes and immunoglobulin aggregates by macrophages whereas it had little effect on the binding or ingestion steps. Due to the reversible inhibitory effect of lidocaine, this drug may be used in future studies to assess the role of extracellular stimuli on the fate of intracellular immune complexes.
D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008012:Lidocaine