PROSTAGLANDIN-MEDIATED IMMUNOREGULATION - REDUCED SENSITIVITY OF INVITRO IMMUNOGLOBULIN PRODUCTION TO INDOMETHACIN IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 51  (3) , 535-542
Abstract
Spontaneous and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulated in vitro Ig production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of control subjects and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients both receiving nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (RA + NSAID) was measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Spontaneous IgG and IgM-RF [rheumatoid factor] production from the RA + NSAID was significantly higher than in control subjects. IgM production was also elevated but not significantly. Indomethacin (10-6 to 10-8 M) added to in vitro cultures failed to influence spontaneous production from either group. PWM stimulated IgG production was not significantly different between the 2 groups, while IgM synthesis was significantly reduced in the RA individuals. IgM-RF production was observed only in the RA + NSAID group. Indomethacin inhibited PWM stimulated IgG and IgG production in control individuals but was significantly less potent on IgG, IgM and IgM-RF production from the RA + NSAID group. This reduction in the inhibitory effect of indomethacin correlated significantly with the high spontaneous Ig production and a low PWM stimulation index observed in the RA + NSAID group. Indomethacin had no significant effect on PWM stimulated PBMC proliferation in the rheumatoid individuals. B lymphocytes from some RA + NSAID are possibly precommitted to produce Ig spontaneously in culture, possibly as a consequence of activation in vivo, and are relatively insensitive to PWM stimulation. These B lymphocytes may have progressed beyond the immunoregulatory steps involving prostaglandins.