LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY OF METHIMAZOLE - FREE SH-GROUP DEPENDENCY

1. The comparative effects of methimazole (MTI), an antithyroid drug, and its S-methyl derivate (MMTI), were studied in vitro on the lymphop roliferative response to lectin in order to point out the free SH grou p importance. The cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry after cellular DNA staining by propidium iodide. 2. We showed that MTI enhanced the PHA-induced DNA synthesis phase (P < 0.05 from 1 to 100 mu m) whereas MMTI had no significant activity. The free SH group seem s to be necessary to the MTI immunomodulatory activity.