Suppression of Antibody Synthesis and Prolongation of Homograft Survival by Chloramphenicol

Chloramphenicol suppresses primary antibody synthesis in vivo without affecting the ability to develop a normal anamnestic response. Chloramphenicol also prolongs homograft survival in rabbits. The survival of homografts is related to the duration as well as to the amount of chloramphenicol administered. The mechanism of action of chloramphenicol in suppressing immune responses is correlated with its ability to inhibit protein synthesis in proliferating mammalian cells. These observations suggest that the inhibitory effect of chloramphenicol on protein synthesis may be applicable to mammalian cells in vivo as well as to cell-free systems and to intact mammalian cells in vivo.