Abstract
Immunological effects of D-penicillamine were studied in the rabbits sensitized 2 times weekly for 2 weeks with BSA-anti BSA rabbit serum complex. Rabbits were divided into. five groups according to doses of D-penicillamine (D-P) and time of administration. The sections of the popliteal and axillary lymph nodes were double-stained using specific antise-rums (FITC-anti IgM and Rhodamin-anti-IgG) . RFLS producing cells were studied by FITC labeled heat-aggregated human IgG. There was little change in the ratio of the number of fluorescein-positive cells IgM/IgG in the group without administration of D-P (the control group) during the periods of 1, 2 and 3 weeks. The ratio of IgM to IgG cells was slightly increased during the first week and remarkably increased during the second week in the group with continuous administration of D-P for 1 week before sensitization (II group) and the group with simultaneous administration for 1 week with the first sensitization (III group) . The most marked increase was observed in the group with continuous administration for 3 weeks from 1 week before sensitization till 2 weeks after it (V group) and there was a rema-rkable increase, especially in IgM producing cells. Anyhow, the ratio of IgM to IgG was increased by administration of D-P, and the IgG producing cells were mostly decreased. RFLS producing cells in the lymph nodes were increased in groups II and III as well as those in the control group. However, there was a remarkable decrease in group V with time, which showed the contrary variation of IgM/IgG. In the relationship between RFLS producing cells in the lymph nodes and RFLS titer in the blood, all negative cases in the former also showed negative in the latter. There was no relationship between the number RFLS cells in the lymph nodes, and the RFLS titer in the serum.
