BORON AFFECTS IN VITRO SPLENOCYTE PROLIFERATION IN A DOSE DEPENDENT MANNER

Authors: Bai, Yisheng; Hunt, Curtiss

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/6/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The trace element boron is involved in the metabolism of animals and humans, although a specific biological function has not been elucidated. Because physiological amounts of dietary boron increase the response of the immune system of animals challenged with some antigens, we investigated the effects of boron (as boric acid; 0, 0.0002, 0.002, 0.02, 0.2, and 2.0 mmol/L added to a cell culture medium containing 0.002 mmol boron/L) on the proliferation of splenocytes co-cultured with phytohemagglutinin (PHA [a T-cell specific mitogen]; 0 and 5 mg/L) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS [a B-cell specific mitogen]; 0 and 2.5 mg/L) in a series of experiments. Splenocytes were isolated from rats fed a boron- low diet (<0.2 mg B/kg) or a commercial rat diet. Splenocyte proliferation was enhanced by PHA or LPS (P < 0.05). Compared to non- boron added control media, boron added at 0.02 and 0.2 mmol/L increased the proliferation of splenocytes (P < 0.05), especially when co-cultured with PHA, but did not have an effect when co-cultured with LPS (P > 0.05). Boron added at 2 mmol/L inhibited the stimulating effects of PHA or LPS (P < 0.05) on cell proliferation. The response of cell proliferation to boron and mitogens were similar for splenocytes isolated from rats fed either the low-boron diet or the commercial rat diet. These findings demonstrate that the effects of boron on splenocyte proliferation are dose dependent, and that boron at low concentrations enhances the response of splenocytes to a T-cell specific mitogen.