Effects of thymomimetic drugs and zinc supplementation on the cellular immune response in hydrocortisone-suppressed mice.

The studies were carried out on Balb/c mice (5-6 weeks of age) exposed to immunosuppression by a single intraperitoneal dose (125 mg/kg) of hydrocortisone. Prior to hydrocortisone injection the mice were treated with diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) intra-peritoneally at a dose of 20 mg/kg, five times at 48 h intervals or calf thymus extract (TFX) at a dose of 10 mg/kg, 10 times at 24 h intervals. The two drugs were used per se or in zinc ions interactions, by adding zinc ions (as sulphate salt) to drinking water at a dose of 72 microg/mouse per day. The results obtained in the study show that hydrocortisone injection drastically decreases the number of thymocytes and splenocytes, which is also accompanied by a decreasing weight ratio of the thymus and spleen. The decreasing number of thymic and spleen cells corresponds to a decreasing percentage of CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ splenocytes and double positive CD4+CD8+ thymocytes. Changes in the number of thymic cells affect their activity, which is expressed in a decreased proliferative response of thymocytes stimulated in vitro with concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). It has also been found that a single hydrocortisone dose decreases interleukin (IL)-1 production by murine intraperitoneal macrophages stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli. TFX or DTC counteract hydrocortisone-induced immunosuppression, which is expressed in partial normalization of the total number of thymic and spleen cells, accelerated regeneration of the two lymphatic organs, shorter suppressive action of hydrocortisone on the percentage of CD4+, CD8+ splenocytes and double positive (CD4+CD8+) and CD4+ thymocytes. Furthermore, total counteraction against the suppressive action of hydrocortisone to proliferative activity of thymocytes stimulated in vitro with Con A and PHA was observed. TFX administered prior to hydrocortisone injection partially prevented the suppressive action of the drug on IL-1 production by intraperitoneal macrophages, but such an effect was not observed with DTC. The immunorestorative effect of TFX and DTC was augmented by zinc supplementation. The results obtained in the study show that neither TFX nor DTC administration per se and in interaction with zinc supplementation were able to change the suppressive effect of hydrocortisone on the percentage of B splenocytes (CD19+ cells).