Interaction of metal-complexing compounds with lymphocytes and lymphoid cell lines

A variety of metal-complexing flavonoids (beta-hydroxyethyl rutoside, catechin, naringin, taxifolin, and quercetin) as well as several compounds which form mainly iron complexes (bathophenathroline, bathophenanthrolinebisulfonic acid, desferri-ferrioxamine B, ethylenediamine-di-o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) were tested for their effects on mitogen-free and mitogen-activated mouse splenocyte cell cultures and on two human cell lines (Daudi, Bristol-8). The compounds strongly inhibited the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA at agent concentrations ranging from 10 to 500 microM. On the other hand, at subinhibitory concentrations, slightly enhancing or synergistic effects were observed. We conclude that immune cell behavior can be bidirectionally influenced by the presence of metal-complexing agents, depending on their concentration in the medium.