Immunosuppressive effects of bovine seminal fluid fractions with ribonuclease activity

Using different isolation procedures (after acidification and saturation with 3 M ammonium sulphate) three fractions were isolated from bull seminal vesicle fluid and assayed for their effects on cell immunity in vitro and in vivo. Two of these preparations (ZS RNase and AS RNase) possessing a high level of ribonuclease activity at concentrations of 50 micrograms/ml showed inhibitory effects (up to 80%) on 3H-thymidine incorporation into the DNA of mitogen-or antigen-stimulated human lymphocytes. The third preparation (3M-P) possessing low ribonuclease activity showed lesser inhibitory effects. The potency of mouse spleen cells to cause regional GVH reaction was significantly decreased after preincubation of spleen cells to cause of 1 mg per AS RNase or ZS RNase whereas 3M-P was ineffective in this test. A single dose of 1 mg per mouse of ZS RNase or 3M-P administered i.p. on day 4 after skin transplantation significantly prolonged graft rejection. Both preparations at this dose potentiated the effect of cyclophosphamide on skin graft survival. All tested preparations preincubated with mouse bone marrow cells had no adverse effects on their colony-forming activity (in the spleens of irradiated mice). The possibility of utilizing the preparations with ribonuclease activity isolated from vesicle fluid in clinical bone marrow transplantation is discussed.