title: The effects of prolonged administration of 5-bromodeoxyuridine on cells of the immune system.
abstract: We have determined the in vivo effect of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) administered to mice in the drinking water for various lengths of time on the performance of T and B lymphocytes in a number of experimental protocols. Young mice continuously exposed to BrdU fail to gain weight, and the lymphocytes recovered after a prolonged period of exposure are fewer in number than in control mice. The recovery of normal levels of T and B lymphocytes after irradiation is severely impaired. Ag-specific cells responding to Ag in an adoptive transfer model fail to expand as much in the presence of BrdU as in the absence, and the Ag-specific effectors produced in the presence of BrdU are less able to secrete cytokines upon restimulation in vitro. Polarized populations of Tc1 and Tc2 effectors generated in vitro proliferate less in the presence of BrdU, and the resulting effectors make less cytokines per cell upon restimulation. Thus, the incorporation of BrdU into T or B lymphocytes can, under some circumstances, seriously impair the performance of the labeled cells, and these findings raise a note of caution in the interpretation of studies that make use of long-term exposure to BrdU.
authors.affiliation: Trudeau Institute, Saranac Lake, NY 12983, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Reome
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Helmich
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dutton-Swain
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Dutton
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007399:Interphase / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D010047:Ovalbumin; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine