Adrenaline influence on the immune response. I. Accelerating or suppressor effects according to the time of application

The intervention of adrenaline in the immunoregulation was investigated through the modification of the anti-SRBC PFC response of mice after its i.p. administration (4 micrograms) at various intervals before SRBC antigen. When the interval was less than 24 h, adrenaline accelerated the immune kinetics. This modification was apparent on both direct and indirect PFC, as well as on naive and immune mice. However, mice treated from 2 days showed a suppression of the response. The adrenaline effect subsisted on the adoptive response of spleen cells drug-treated either in vivo or in vitro. The mitogenic response after in vitro PHA or LPS stimulation of spleen cells from adrenaline-treated mice indicated that the T-cells were the drug target. The physiological role of the adrenaline and immunological influences of acute stress are discussed in the paper.