Effects of indomethacin on lymphocyte proliferation, suppressor cell function, and leukocyte migration inhibitory factor (lmif) production.

The in vitro effect of indomethacin (IND) on PHA- and Con-A-induced immune responses was studied. The results showed that the enhancement of both PHA and Con A responses by IND does not significantly depend on the concentrations of mitogens or IND. A significant negative correlation was found between the initial PHA response and augmentation index, whereas there was a positive correlation between the initial Con A response and the enhancement of the Con A responses. Indomethacin significantly increased the Con-A-induced suppressor cell activity and PHA-induced leukocyte migration inhibitory factor production (LMIF), whereas the effects on the PHA-induced suppressor cell activity and Con-A-induced LMIF production were not significant. The findings indicate the indomethacin has a dual effect on PHA- and Con-A-induced immune responses probably reflecting intrinsic differences among T cells, for example, distinct lymphokines produced by different T-cell subpopulations.