[Use of in vivo methods in the immunotoxicologic evaluation of drugs]

The immunity system is structurally and functionally multiform; in immunotoxicological screening therefore a larger number of manifestations of immunity response must be examined. Administration of drugs must be chosen in such a way as to enable studying the influence on the functions of immunity in the period prior to immunization, simultaneously with it, and after it. From this aspect the effect of subtoxic doses of cisplatinum, carboplatinum, oxoplatinum and iproplatinum administered to mice at different times with regard to the antigen was evaluated. In the case of antibody response (the cells forming antibodies in the spleen, serum haemagglutinins) as well as in the manifestations of cellular immunity (reaction of delayed hypersensitivity) the largest inhibition was registered on the administration from days 2 to 6 after the first contact with the antigen. Administration prior to immunization or simultaneously with it produced either mild stimulation or insignificant inhibition. The drugs most probably act by alkylating mechanism and the time course of the effect is similar to that in cyclophosphamide. The antibody response is inhibited most by oxoplatinum, cellular immunity by carboplatinum. When investigating phagocytic activity (Indian ink clearance from the blood circulation) only insignificant deviations were found. Immunity processes not requiring immediately cell division are substantially less influenced by platinum complexes.