Ammonium chloride, methylamine and chloroquine reversibly inhibit antibody secretion by plasma cells

The effects of the lysosomotropic weak bases, NH4Cl, methylamine and chloroquine, on the secretory process of antibody-synthesizing cells were studied. Popliteal lymph node cells taken from rats immunized against horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were incubated with the lysosomotropic agents. The rate of secretion of anti-HRP antibodies was measured using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These agents induced an inhibition of antibody release within 5 min, and for all four concentrations tested, maximal inhibition was reached after 15 min. A 50% inhibition was obtained with 20 mM NH4Cl, 21.7 mM methylamine and 8.8 X 10(-4) M chloroquine. This effect was rapidly and entirely reversible, regardless of the weak base used, and it increased as the pH of the extracellular media was raised. Under these conditions, intracellular ATP contents remained normal, and protein synthesis did not undergo marked changes except with chloroquine. Inhibition of secretion was accompanied by an intracellular accumulation of antibodies which was equal to the degree of inhibition of antibody release. Immunocytochemical studies of the weak base-treated cells performed by light and electron microscopy showed that this accumulation probably occurred within certain dilated Golgi saccules. In addition, reduced incorporation of fucose into immunoglobulins as well as partial inhibition of the secretion of fucosylated immunoglobulins were observed in the presence of weak bases. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that weak bases inhibit antibody secretion by acting within saccules of the Golgi apparatus. These saccules could maintain an acidic pH important for the migration and/or sorting of immunoglobulins.