Postburn immunosuppression in an animal model. III. Maintenance of normal splenic helper and suppressor lymphocyte subpopulations by immunomodulating drugs.

Delineation of lymphocyte subpopulations by labeling cells with specific monoclonal antibody now appears to be a reliable means of measuring cellular immunity in various disease states. We determined splenic helper/inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocyte populations in mice given a 20% to 25% body surface area steam burn injury. The lymphocyte helper: suppressor ratio fell from 3.13 +/- 0.06 in control mice to 1.77 +/- 0.04 in burned animals (p less than 0.0005) 14 days after burn. Immediate postburn eschar removal resulted in improvement in the ratio 14 days later (2.66 +/- 0.14) although not in restoration to normal levels. Postburn treatment of burned mice with intraperitoneal cimetidine, ibuprofen, indomethacin, cyclophosphamide, and topically applied cerium nitrate resulted in substantial restoration of the lymphocyte ratio toward normal values; in animals treated with cimetidine and ibuprofen the resultant lymphocyte ratio was not statistically different from that in control (unburned) mice. These drugs probably inhibit suppressor cell populations or suppress the immunosuppressive effect of toxic materials in the burn wound. Specific pharmacologic therapy improves immune function in burned mice and may result in increased resistance to infection.