Simultaneous stimulation and suppression of two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response by the immunoregulator dextran sulphate.

The effect of high mol. wt dextran sulphate (DS) on two different indicators of the cell-mediated immune response was studied simultaneously in the same animal. The two indicators of the cell-meidated immune response chosen for this study were the footpad swelling response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and skin allograft rejection. Mice receiving DS and SRBC showed a significant increase in the delayed-type footpad swelling response over the controls at 24 and 48 h after challenge, while in addition, the same mice showed a significant suppression of the delayed-type response to allograft antigens as indicated by a significant delay in rejection time of allografts. The results presented here show that DS is capable of simultaneously stimulating and suppressing two indicators of the cell-mediated immune response in the same animal.