INHIBITION OF ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK BY GADOLINIUM CHLORIDE-INDUCED KUPFFER CELL BLOCKADE

Data in the literature concerning the role of macrophages in anaphylax is are contradictory. In the present study, the effect of macrophage b lockade induced by gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) on anaphylactic shock i s investigated. Our observations show that GdCl3 prevents lethal anaph ylactic shock in mice sensitized to ovalbumin. Gadolinium chloride giv en i.v. in a dose of 1 mg/100 g body weight 24 or 48 h before the elic itation of anaphylactic shock resulted in 80% survival, compared with the 43% survival in the control group. The same dose of this rare-eart h metal salt also greatly reduced the mortality in mice sensitized wit h ovalbumin containing Bordetella pertussis vaccine, and similarly abr ogated the symptoms of anaphylaxis, including the accumulation of sero tonin and histamine in the liver. The results suggest that macrophages play an important role in mouse anaphylaxis.