Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1978 Feb;19(2):430–433. doi: 10.1128/iai.19.2.430-433.1978

Effect of indomethacin in vivo on humoral and cellular immunity in humans.

J S Goodwin, D S Selinger, R P Messner, W P Reed
PMCID: PMC414101  PMID: 631882

Abstract

We studied the effect of indomethacin on intradermal skin testing and antibody responses in humans. Since we and others have shown that prostaglandins are suppressor cell mediators, it was probable that in vivo inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis might enhance the humoral and/or cellular immune response. Administration of indomethacin (Indocin) in a dosage of 100 mg/day to 15 normal men and women resulted in a significantly increased antibody titer to A-Victoria (P less than 0.025) as compared with age- and sex-matched controls. There was no difference in titer to A-New Jersey. Since 90% of the subjects had antibody titers to A-Victoria before inoculation, whereas none had detectable titers to A-New Jersey, we interpret this data as suggesting that indomethacin enhances the secondary but not the primary humoral immune response. Indomethacin administration did not alter the intradermal skin test responses.

Full text

PDF
430

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bourne H. R., Lichtenstein L. M., Melmon K. L., Henney C. S., Weinstein Y., Shearer G. M. Modulation of inflammation and immunity by cyclic AMP. Science. 1974 Apr 5;184(4132):19–28. doi: 10.1126/science.184.4132.19. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Goodwin J. S., Bankhurst A. D., Messner R. P. Suppression of human T-cell mitogenesis by prostaglandin. Existence of a prostaglandin-producing suppressor cell. J Exp Med. 1977 Dec 1;146(6):1719–1734. doi: 10.1084/jem.146.6.1719. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Goodwin J. S., Messner R. P., Bankhurst A. D., Peake G. T., Saiki J. H., Williams R. C., Jr Prostaglandin-producing suppressor cells in Hodgkin's disease. N Engl J Med. 1977 Nov 3;297(18):963–968. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197711032971802. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hvidberg E., Lausen H. H., Jansen J. A. Indomethacin: plasma concentrations and protein binding in man. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1972 Mar;4(2):119–124. doi: 10.1007/BF00562508. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Marsh F. P., Almeyda J. R., Levy I. S. Non-thrombocytopenic purpura and acute glomerulonephritis after indomethacin therapy. Ann Rheum Dis. 1971 Sep;30(5):501–505. doi: 10.1136/ard.30.5.501. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Melmon K. L., Bourne H. R., Weinstein Y., Shearer G. M., Kram J., Bauminger S. Hemolytic plaque formation by leukocytes in vitro. Control by vasoactive hormones. J Clin Invest. 1974 Jan;53(1):13–21. doi: 10.1172/JCI107530. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Plescia O. J., Smith A. H., Grinwich K. Subversion of immune system by tumor cells and role of prostaglandins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 May;72(5):1848–1851. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.5.1848. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Quagliata F., Lawrence V. J., Phillips-Quagliata J. M. Prostaglandin E 1 as a regulator of lymphocyte function. Selective action on B lymphocytes and synergy with procarbazine in depression of immune responses. Cell Immunol. 1973 Mar;6(3):457–465. doi: 10.1016/0008-8749(73)90044-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Robinson H. J., Phares H. F., Graessle O. E. Effects of indomethacin on acute, subacute, and latent infections in mice and rats. J Bacteriol. 1968 Jul;96(1):6–13. doi: 10.1128/jb.96.1.6-13.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Smith R. S., Sherman N. A., Coffey R. G. Effects of pokeweed mitogen, cholera toxin and prostaglandin E1 on immunoglobulin production and cyclic AMP levels in tonsillar lymphocytes. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1974;47(4):586–597. doi: 10.1159/000231252. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Webb D. R., Osheroff P. L. Antigen stimulation of prostaglandin synthesis and control of immune responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Apr;73(4):1300–1304. doi: 10.1073/pnas.73.4.1300. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Zimecki M., Webb D. R. The regulation of the immune response to T-independent antigens by prostaglandins and B cells. J Immunol. 1976 Dec;117(6):2158–2164. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Zurier R. B., Quagliata F. Effect of prostaglandin E 1 on adjuvant arthritis. Nature. 1971 Dec 3;234(5327):304–305. doi: 10.1038/234304a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES