EFFECT OF LINDANE ON HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTE RESPONSES TO PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, stimulated by phytohemagglutinin, were exposed to various concentrations of the organochlorine insecticide, lindane. At various intervals of time, viability and cellular growth, as well as accumulation and incorporation of macromolecular synthesis precursors were measured in the cell culture. Concentrations of lindane in the range of 10-4M exerted an inhibition on the macromolecular biosynthesis in the three cellular models: unstimulated lymphocytes, PHA-activated lymphocytes and dividing blast cells. In the mitogen-stimulated cells, the inhibitory effect of lindane seemed to be restricted to a delaying one, caused by the alteration of an event occurring early after the PHA activation. It might be that lindane, shrinking the cellular soluble pool of labelled precursors and blocking the aggregation of the stimulated lymphocytes, acts on the surface membrane of the cells. The resulting disorganization of membrane architecture could therefore be related to the hydrophobic nature of the molecule. © 1979.