Inhibitory Effect of an Anti-oxidant, Butylated Hydroxyanisole, on the Primary in Vitro Immune Response

Summary Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), an anti-oxidant food additive, inhibited the primary in vitro antibody (PFC) response of C57B1/6 spleen cells to both a thymus-dependent antigen (SRBC) and a thymus-independent antigen (E. coli 0127:B8); the PFC response of athymic nude spleen cells to E. coli 0127:B8 was inhibited to the same degree. BHA inhibited both B- and T-lymphocyte function. BHA needed to be present only for the first 4 hr of culture to exert its inhibitory effect on the PFC response. DNA synthesis in C57B1/6, athymic nude, and T-cell mito-gen-induced C57B1/6 spleen cell cultures was inhibited by BHA; however, short-term exposure of cultures to BHA at certain PFC inhibitory concentrations resulted in stimulation of DNA synthesis. The mechanism of the inhibitory effect of BHA on the in vitro PFC response is unknown, but may possibly involve activation of regulatory cell activity. Certainly, the data warrant further study of the effect of this ubiquitous food additive on the immune response.