Studies on the mechanism of suppression of delayed hypersensitivity by the antischistosomal compund niridazole.

Niridazole given in a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg to guinea pigs sensitized to ortho-chlorobenzoyl chloride-bovine gamma-globulin (OCB-BGG) regularly abolished delayed cutaneous reactivity. Little effect was observed, however, when cells from these animals were tested in vitro with either direct or indirect assays for migration inhibitory factor (MIF). On the other hand, sera taken from nonsensitized guinea pigs after they had received 100 mg/kg of niridazole markedly diminished antigen-induced inhibition of migration of sensitized peritoneal exudate cells in vitro. The immunosuppressive effects of such sera could not be produced by niridazole itself, thereby suggesting an effect of niridazole metabolites. This suppressive activity was readily removed from the serum by dialysis. The active serum blocked the production of MIF by sensitized lymph node cells but did not affect the action of preformed MIF on macrophages. The effect of this serum was reversible; lymph node cells incubated for 24 hr with active serum, then washed and reincubated with antigen in normal serum, produced normal amounts of MIF. These studies suggest that metabolites of niridazole, but not the parent compound itslef, suppress delayed hypersensitivity in guinea pigs and prevent MIF production by lymphocytes without affecting the macrophage response to MIF.