title: A T-cell-dependent humoral immune response is preserved during the administration of the nerve agent pre-treatment pyridostigmine bromide in a murine model.
abstract: Immune regulation, either via the autonomic nervous system or by a proposed "non-neuronal" cholinergic system, suggests that the immune system may be susceptible to perturbation by compounds affecting cholinergic function. Here, the current UK and US nerve agent pre-treatment, pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and the related anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) compounds physostigmine (PHY) and BW284c51 were tested for their ability to affect mouse splenocyte function in vitro. In addition, PB, at a dose equivalent to that received during pre-treatment for nerve agent poisoning, was tested for its effect on a T-cell-dependent humoral response to antigen in vivo in the mouse. None of the anti-AChEs tested affected concanavalin A (Con A)-, anti-CD3- or lipopolysaccharide LPS-driven splenocyte proliferation, in vitro, at concentrations expected to give effective nerve agent pre-treatment. However, higher concentrations (>100 microM) particularly of PHY caused some inhibition of the proliferative responses. In vivo, PB or saline was administered via 28-day mini-osmotic pumps to give a 25-40% inhibition of whole blood AChE in the PB-treated animals. During PB or saline administration, primary and secondary doses (i.p.) of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were given and the humoral response determined by monitoring anti-SRBC IgM and IgG levels. Splenocytes isolated from the experimental animals were also examined for their proliferative and cytokine responses to stimulation. No remarkable effects of PB were seen during the period of AChE inhibition on the humoral immune response. However, a modest elevation in IL-2 and IFN(gamma) in Con A-stimulated lymphocytes was seen in PB-treated animals following pump removal. Overall these data suggest that, in vivo, the SRBC stimulated T-cell-dependent immune response is unaffected by the administration of PB at pre-treatment doses.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 0JQ, UK. gdgriffiths@dstl.gov.uk
authors.forename: Gareth D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Telford
authors.forename: Doreen S W
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hooi
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Lucy J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Pritchard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012756:Sheep; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D002802:Cholinesterases; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide