“In vivo” effects of acetylsalicylic acid and two ether derived compounds on primary immune response and lymphoblastic transformation

Abstract

A comparison was performed of acetylsalicylic acid and two ether derivatives (Benorilate and Eterilate) and indomethacin in order to ascertain the in vivo effects on the lymphoblastic transformation and the primary immune response in mice. The humoral response in Benorilate- and Eterilate-treated mice was 40–50% lower than that of the controls, whereas in acetylsalicylic acid-treated mice the response was only 25% inhibited. The number of immunoglobulin synthesizing cells was neither reduced by acetylsalicylic acid nor by its derivatives, although indomethacin treatments (used for comparative purposes) inhibited by 40% the number of direct plaque-forming cells on the days tested. Mitogen-induced proliferation of spleen lymphocytes was also inhibited in the treated mice; these inhibitions were negligible in the case of cells from acetylsalicylic acid-treated mice activatged by concanavalin A and slight in cells from Benorilate-treated mice activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. When lymphocytes from drug-treated animals were further cultured in the presence of the same drug, a variable inhibition of mitogen-induced proliferation was observed. These different in vivo effects of acetylsalicylic acid and the two ether derivatives and indomethacin may be due to a distinct action on diverse lymphocyte subpopulations altering their cellular collaborative interactions or modifying the prostaglandin availability.