Effect of neonatal treatment with a GnRH antagonist on development of the cell-mediated immune response in marmosets.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the effect of neonatal treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist (antide) on the development of cell-mediated immunity in male marmosets.


METHODS
Neonatal marmoset twins were treated with either vehicle or antide, and the proliferative response (PR) of lymphoid tissue to mitogens was assessed during infancy, the peripubertal period, and adulthood.


RESULTS
Basal proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from treated peripubertal twins was elevated above control values, but the PR of the cells to T and B cell mitogens was subnormal. Conversely, PBMC from treated infants exhibited an enhanced PR to some of the mitogens employed. In vitro culturing of thymocytes (control or treated) from the three developmental stages with either antide or a GnRH agonist increased basal proliferation, but decreased the PR to mitogens by 60-80%.


CONCLUSIONS
Neonatal treatment with antide alters development of, but does not permanently impair, cell-mediated immunity in the marmoset. GnRH appears to modulate immune responses throughout development in the primate.
Mann
D R
DR
Department of Physiology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310-1495, USA.
Lunn
S F
SF
Akinbami
M A
MA
Samuel
K
K
Waterfall
M
M
Fraser
H M
HM
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002144:Callithrix; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; C057022:iturelix