In vitro O 2-induced depression of T and B lymphocyte activation is reversed by diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) treatment

Abstract

In this study, we tried to establish a relationship between the immunopotentiating effects and the antioxidant activity of the immunostimulating compound, diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC). We studied the effects of DDC treatment on enriched T and B murine spleen lymphocytes in an in vivo — ex vivo model of O 2-induced immune depression. Female C57Bl/6 mice were injected subcutaneously with a single dose of DDC (125 mg · kg −1). Eight days after DDC injection, we evaluated, in vitro, the concanavalin A response of the T cell fraction and the LPS response of the B cell fraction, under standard (air — 5% CO 2) and hyperoxic (60% O 2 — 5% CO 2) culture conditions. The results show that after a lag period, DDC is able [1] to enhance the mitogenic response of T and B murine lymphocytes under standard culture conditions [2] to restore the ConA response and to partially restore the LPS response under hyperoxic conditions. The results of this study suggest that the immunostimulatory effects of DDC could be related to the antioxidant activity of this compound on the lymphoid cellular metabolism. This activity apparently affects both T and B lymphocytes.