[Effect of immunosuppressive and cytostatic factors on the immune responses of the body. Communication II. Effect of hydrocortisone on immunologically competent cells (RFC cells and lymphocytes B) in immunized animals (author's transl)].

The effect of hydrocortisone on immunologically competent cells in peripheral blood (lymphocytes B and RFC cells) and on the level of humoral antibodies has been studied in rabbits immunized twice with 10per cent sheep erythrocytes. The animals were divided into two groups. The experimental group, numbering 14 rabbits, was administered 30 mg/kg body weight of hydrocortisone intramuscularly for three consecutive days before the first and second dose of antigen; the 10 rabbits of the control group were administered only the antigen. The results obtained showed that, after immunization and in the course of the normal immune response of the body, the numbers of RFC cells and of lymphocytes B increased in peripheral blood before the level of antibodies rose (Fig. 1, 3 and 4). The results in the group of experimental rabbits showed that hydrocortisone markedly suppressed the normal immune response of the body to the antigen administered. When the data obtained in both groups studied were compared, it was found that the amount of RFC cells and of lymphocytes B in peripheral blood was manifestly smaller in the group of experimental animals treated with hydrocortisone, than in the group of control animals, both after the first and the second dose of antigen (Fig. 1, 2 and 3). The difference concerning the humoral antibodies level between the two groups, however, appeared only after the second dose of the antigen (Fig. 4, Table I). That means that the investigation of immunologically competent cells in peripheral blood, such as lymphocytes B and RFC cells, enables to detect disturbances in the immune response of the body earlier than the investigation of humoral antibodies and supplies a more complete image of the changes occurring in the body during immunization.