LOW CONCENTRATIONS OF NONSTEROIDAL ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS AFFECT CELLFUNCTIONS

The effect of 10(-14)-10(-4)M ibuprofen and aspirin both on arachidoni c acid metabolism in peritoneal murine macrophages and on the concanav alin A-induced proliferation of murine splenocytes were investigated. It was shown that 10(-7)-10(-4)M ibuprofen inhibits the arachidonic ac id metabolism. On the other hand, ibuprofen causes pronounced activati on of arachidonic acid metabolism. The low concentration (10(-14)-10(- 10)M) effects also take place when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory dru gs influence other functions of the immune system: that is, they activ ate the splenocyte mitogen-induced proliferative response, These resul ts are in accord with our suggestion that the low concentration effect s of these drugs do not depend upon cell types and may have an importa nt physiological significance.