The effects of stannous chloride on the humoral immune response of mice.

The effects of stannous chloride (SnCl2) on primary and secondary immune responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) were examined in mice. I.p. administration of 167 mumol/kg/day of SnCl2 for 3 consecutive days suppressed the number of splenic indirect plaque-forming cells (PFCs) in the primary response and the hemagglutination (HA) and hemolytic reaction (HR) titers of non-2-mercaptoethanol(2-ME)-treated sera in both the primary and secondary immune response. However, tin affected neither the indirect PFC response nor the antibody titers of the 2-ME-treated sera after the secondary immunization, which was performed on day 6 following the primary immunization. These results suggest that the subacute administration of tin suppresses part of the immune response in which IgM antibody production plays an important role, and that the production of IgG in the secondary immune response is little affected, while the IgG production in the primary response is suppressed or delayed.