Thalidomide stimulates splenic IgM antibody response and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity and alters leukocyte subpopulation numbers in female B6C3F1 mice

Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2000 Jun 15;165(3):237-44. doi: 10.1006/taap.2000.8939.

Abstract

Thalidomide has been shown to have antiinflammatory and, more recently, immunomodulating properties, which are beneficial for the treatment of an ever-increasing list of immune related diseases. Although considerable knowledge regarding thalidomide s antiinflammatory properties has been acquired, relatively little is known about its immunomodulating properties in vivo. In this paper, a panel of immune assays was used to evaluate immunomodulation in female B6C3F1 mice treated intraperitoneally for 28 days with thalidomide (30, 100, or 150 mg/kg/day). Spleen antibody forming cell response was significantly enhanced by 37% in mice treated with 150 mg/kg/day, despite an 8% decrease in the percentage of Ig+ B cells. A significant stimulatory trend was observed for the cytotoxic T cell response across thalidomide treatment groups. An evaluation of the spleen leukocyte subpopulations revealed a 23% increase in the absolute number of CD8+ T cells in the 150 mg/kg treatment group and a 9 and 11% decrease in the absolute number of NK cells in both the 100 and 150 mg/kg thalidomide treatment groups, respectively. These findings demonstrate that, in addition to modulating spleen leukocyte numbers, thalidomide also stimulates murine humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Cell Count / drug effects
  • Female
  • Immunoglobulin M / immunology
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / blood
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Injections, Intraperitoneal
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Mice
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Spleen / drug effects*
  • Spleen / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / cytology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / drug effects*
  • Thalidomide / blood
  • Thalidomide / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Thalidomide