Effect of mercuric chloride on the proliferative response of human lymphocytes to cultured HeLa cells or a lectin.

Abstract

Proliferative responses of human lymphocytes to cultured allogeneic HeLa cells and to PHA were employed as in vitro cellular immune systems to investigate effects of mercuric chloride on the both proliferative responses. When stimulator HeLa cells were pretreated with mercury, proliferative response of lymphocytes to HeLa cells in the mixed cell culture was suppressed dose-dependently. The response of lymphocytes treated with mercury to HeLa cells was suppressed markedly, even at 15-min exposure to 1 X 10(-5) M HgCl2. The response of lymphocytes to PHA as well as that to HeLa cells was suppressed by mercury treatment, even at 15-min exposure. A possible mechanism for the suppressive effect of mercury on the mixed cell reaction was discussed; mercury modification of molecules at the cell surface of the stimulator cells or responder cells and effects of mercury on macrophages.