Effects of Inositol, LiCl, and Heparin on the Antibody Responses to SRBC by Normal and Immunodeficient XID Mice

Abstract. Spleen cells from naïve adult immunocompetent and immunodeficient XID mice were cultured on agar containing sheep red blood cells (SRBC) with and without myo ‐inositol, scyllo ‐inositol, lithium chloride, or heparin, and after 1 or 2 days the number of colonies of antiSRBC antibody–forming cells (PFC) were determined. It was found that myo ‐inositol and scyllo ‐inositol at one‐tenth the concentration were equally effective in increasing the number of specific PFC. Myo ‐inositol, scyllo ‐inositol, and lithium chloride accelerated the appearance of direct foci in cultures of spleen cells from normal and XID mice. When heparin was added to cultures of XID spleen cells, PFC were found to be increased on Day 1; however, PFC and foci were not increased in cultures of spleen cells from competent mice until 1 day later. The addition of combinations of these agents to cultures of spleen cells had no positive or negative effect on the generation of foci or PFC. Normal mice given heparin intraperitoneally with SRBC had increased splenic PFC on Days 3 and 4 but not on Day 7. The results suggest that these agents modulate B‐cell responses by increasing the rate of proliferation and/or secretion through a signaling pathway(s) distal to, or more likely, independent of Bruton's tyrosine Kinase (BTK). It is not clear that the mechanism is the same with each agent.