Drug actions on delayed-type hypersensitivity in rats with developing and established adjuvant arthritis

Rats were sensitized by i.d. injection in the base of the tail with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) and were challenged i.d. in the dorsal skin with mycobacterial antigen. The 24 hour dermal delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response increased up to 10 days after FCA injection followed by a decrease by day 15 which coincided with the development of adjuvant arthritis (AA). Drug studies were performed, using a 4-day dosing schedule, on optimal DTH elicited on day 10, suboptimal DTH elicited on day 15, and AA (day 16). Cyclosporine, leflunomide and prednisolone significantly inhibited day 10 DTH and AA with no effect on day 15 DTH. Indomethacin and tiaprofenic acid significantly inhibited AA with no effect on either DTH response. Chloroquine, levamisole, D-penicillamine, diazepam and RU38468 had no significant effect on DTH or AA. These findings suggest a complex temporal relationship between AA, DTH and drug actions.