Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Immunostimulatory Agent Evaluation: Lymphoid Tissue Extraction and Injection Route-Dependent Dendritic Cell Activation
Published on: September 16, 2018
Use of the local lymph node assay in assessment of immune function
Femke A van den Berg1, Kirsten A Baken, Jolanda P Vermeulen
1National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Department of Toxicology, Pathology and Genetics, Postbus 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Femke.van.den.Berg@rivm.nl
Abstract:
The murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) was originally developed as a predictive test method for the identification of chemicals with sensitizing potential. In this study we demonstrated that an adapted LLNA can also be used as an immune function assay by studying the effects of orally administered immunomodulating compounds on the T-cell-dependent immune response induced by the contact sensitizer 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). C57Bl/6 mice were treated with the immunotoxic compounds cyclosporin A (CsA), bis(tri-n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO) or benzo[a]pyrene, (B[a]P). Subsequently, cell proliferation and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin (IL)-4 release were determined in the auricular lymph nodes (LNs) after DNCB application on both ears. Immunosuppression induced by CsA, TBTO and B[a]P was clearly detectable in this application of the LLNA. Cytokine release measurements proved valuable to confirm the results of the cell proliferation assay and to obtain an indication of the effect on Th1/Th2 balance. We believe to have demonstrated the applicability of an adapted LLNA as an immune function assay in the mouse.
