Binding of lithium and neuroleptics on lymphocyte HLA antigens in vitro

The effect of lithium and five neuroleptics (Melleril, Chlorprotixen, Chlorpromazine, Tisercin, Haloperidol) on cytotoxic reactivity and absorption capacity of lymphocyte HLA antigens A1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, B5, 7, 8, 12, 13 in vitro was studied. Depending on the preparations, solution concentration, period of treatment and some not yet recognized individual properties of the lymphocytes the cytotoxic reactivity of HLA antigens in treated lymphocytes remained unchanged or exceptionally became lost; rather frequently the preparations tended to kill the blood cells which later showed as polyreactive. The treated lymphocytes which had been demonstrated to lose cytotoxic reactivity or polyreactivity simultaneously showed the inhibition of absorption capacity. This pehnomenon was sometimes observed even in the lymphocytes which on the day of treatment showed unchanged cytotoxic reactivity in this case they became polyreactive following 24 hrs of storing. The results confirm the necessity to perform both tests for evaluating the drug effects on lymphocyte HLA antigens in vitro. The presents demonstrate the binding of neuroleptics and lithium on HLA antigens, and support the hypothesis of Svejgaard and Ryder [5] on the interaction of HLA molecules with non-immunological ligands.