Thymus-dependent and thymus-independent antibody responses: contrasting patterns of immunosuppression.

The effects of mitoclomine, an anti-tumour agent, and of cortisone acetate on the antibody response of mice to thymus-dependent and thymus-independent antigens were compared. Both agents yielded patterns of immunosuppression which differed from that seen after X-rays, an agent which is likely to be active equally against T and B cells. Mitoclomine, at low doses, depressed thymus-independent responses the most; this effect can be explained if the drug is more active against B than T cells. Cortisone acetate at low doses, while depressing thymus-dependent responses, increased thymus-independent responses; this can be explained if the drug is more active against T than B cells. Thus three different patterns of immunosuppression (for X-rays, mitoclomine and cortisone acetate) can be interpreted in terms of effects simply on T or B cells.