[The effect of hydrogenated ergot alkaloids on immune functions. II. The primary antibody response and proliferative activity in mouse spleen cells in vitro].

The present paper investigated the proliferative response of murine splenic cells in the tissue culture after stimulation with the polyclonal activators PHA, ConA and PWM. Proliferation of cells and DNA synthesis were measured by means of radioactively labelled thymidine. Furthermore, the primary antibody response of murine splenic cells in the tissue culture after activation with sheep red blood cells was examined. The response was measured by determining the number of plaque forming cells (PFC). The number of PFC's was determined by the plaque method of local haemolysis, in modification by the drop method. In these tests the ergot alkaloids dihydroergocornine, dihydroergocristine, dihydro-alpha-ergocryptine and dihydro-beta-ergocryptine were evaluated in two doses, 600 and 1200 micrograms/kg/day p. o. for the period of 14 days. Dihydroergocornine in these tests increased the primary antibody response in a statistically significant manner; on the other hand, after its administration in the higher dose decreased proliferation after PHA was found. The finding after dihydroergocristine administration was of interest. This ergot alkaloid slightly increased proliferation of cells after PHA and PWM as well as the primary antibody response of murine cells. After the administration of dihydro-alpha-ergocryptine increased proliferation after stimulation with PWM and increased primary antibody response, and after the administration of dihydro-beta-ergocryptine increased proliferation of cells after stimulation with PHA were found.