In vitro stimulation of bovine peripheral blood lymphocytes: suppression of phytomitogen and specific antigen lymphocyte responses by aflatoxin.

The effects of aflatoxin B1 on responses of the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of 2 normal animals to phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin-A, and pokeweed mitogen and of the PBL of 2 Mycobacterium bovis-infected animals to phytohemagglutinin and purified protein derivative of M bovis (PPD) were studied. Aflatoxin concentrations of greater than or equal to 10 microgram/ml significantly suppressed the lymphocyte response of normal animals to the phytomitogens. Lymphocyte response of M bovis-infected animals to specific antigen PPD was significantly suppressed at aflatoxin concentration of 0.5 microgram/ml. Fifty- to 100-fold higher concentrations of aflatoxin were required to produce 50% suppression of lymphocyte response to phytomitogens, as compared with that produced to PPD.