Suppression of humoral immunity in chickens with carrageenans

Carrageenans (CGN), sulphated polygalactans, have been reported to be cytotoxic for macrophages in vitro. On this basis, the effect of the 3 major CGN types on humoral immune responses in chickens was investigated. Carrageenan had no effect on body and lymphoid organ weights. Histologically, CGN produced a significant proliferation of reticuloendothelial cells in liver and spleen, but no changes were observed in lymphocyte populations of the bursa of Fabricius, thymus, or spleen. Intracoelomic pretreatment with high doses of CGN induced a marked suppression of primary responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) given by the same route. However, if SRBC were injected intravenously into chickens already treated intracoelomically with CGN, no evidence of suppression was demonstrated. Antibody responses to Brucella abortus (BA), a T-independent antigen, were not affected by intracoelomic treatment with CGN. Intravenous pretreatment with CGN did not alter antibody responses to SRBC and BA given by the same route.