The influence of diethyl-dithiocarbamate ('Imuthiol') on mononuclear cells in vitro.

Diethyl-dithiocarbamate ('Imuthiol') has been shown to enhance various immune functions in vivo but is toxic in vitro. Macrophages were observed to show evidence of toxicity when exposed to lower concentrations of Imuthiol than inhibited thymidine incorporation by the Raji lymphoid cell line. Inhibition of the mitogenic response of human mononuclear cells to phytohaemaglutinin (PHA) occurred after preincubation of adherent or non-adherent mononuclear cells with Imuthiol. This finding contrasts with the results with gold salts where preincubation of adherent cells inhibits the response to mitogens, while preincubation of non-adherent cells has no effect. The specific toxicity of gold on monocyte/macrophages in vitro is not a feature of Imuthiol.