Inhibitory effects of gold and other drugs on mononuclear cell responses: a comparison

The effects of gold sodium thiomalate (GST) were compared with those of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), D-penicillamine (PEN), and methlyprednisolone succinate (MP) on the mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR), and on cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) using mononuclear cells from normal human volunteers. GST and MP inhibited MLR in concentrations readily achieved in the serum, or tissues of patients. ASA showed only a modest effect on MLR, in high concentrations. All drugs inhibited CMC; PEN inhibited CMC at doses of 100 mcg/ml which were no inhibitory in MLR. ASA inhibited CMC at relatively low concentrations. The effects of some of the drugs on MLR and CMC were not consistent. This may be due to the preferential action of the drugs on various immunologically competent cells.