The immunosuppressive mechanism of azathioprine. I. In vitro effect on lymphocyte function in the baboon.

The effect of azathioprine on in vitro baboon lymphocyte function tests was evaluated using the mitogen stimulation test, the mixed lymphocyte culture test, the migration inhibition factor test, the cell-mediated lymphocytotoxicity test and the antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity test. It was found that azathioprine inhibited phytohemagglutinin and Concanavalin A stimulation at lower concentrations than those required to inhibit pokeweed mitogen stimulation. It inhibited the MLC reaction with as little as 0.2 mug/culture in the microculture system. Azathioprine had no effect on (a) the release of migration inhibition factor, (b) the cell-mediated lymphocytotoxicity assay if presensitized cells were used, and (c) the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity assay. However, azathioprine inhibited CML if it was added during in vitro sensitization and induction of killer cells. These in vitro results suggest that azathioprine inhibits those reactions which require cellular division.