Reduction of the graft-versus-host reactivity of mouse and rat spleen cells by 5alpha-androstane-3,17-dione.

The local graft-versus-host reaction as evaluated by the popliteal lymph node enlargement was used for studying the immunosuppressive potency of placental steroid 5alpha-androstane-3,17-dione. Spleen cells from virgin female mice and rats injected subcutaneously with this steroid compound produced in appropriate F1 recipients a significantly weaker reaction (P less than 0.001) than spleen cells from untreated or medium-treated control animals. On the other hand, the pretreatment of cell donors either with 5beta-androstane-3,17-dione or testosterone, the compounds which are not present in the mouse and rat placenta, did not influence the normal graft-versus-host reactivity.