THE ROLES OF MACROPHAGE (M-PHI) AND PGE-2 IN POSTBURN IMMUNOSUPPRESSION

Postburn immunosuppression in mice with full skin thickness burns was assessed after Con A stimulation of splenic lymphocytes. The immunosuppression was detected within 24 h of injury and was maximal 3-7 days later. Such lymphocyte proliferation was enhanced by depletion of adherent cells (M-PHI) in burned mice and could be depressed in normal mice by injection of these adherent cells from burned mice. These results suggest the presence of M-PHI with a suppressor function. No difference in spontaneous blastogenic transformation (SBT) of spleen cells between the burned and normal mice was found, but after removal of the M-PHI-s the SBT of spleen cells of burned mice became significantly elevated. Hence both M-PHI and lymphocytes in mouse spleen cells were activated after severe thermal injury.