Gold salts immune response

Gold salts modify a variety of cellular and humoral immune responses their mode of action is not understood but may relate to the formation of aurocyanide in areas of inflammation. Sodium aurothiomalate by deep i.m. injection or auranofin by mouth are available but oral gold is less effective and is rarely used as initial therapy. 

That gold salts possess immunosuppressive effects has been demonstrated by both in vivo and in vitro studies [56-59]. In addition, they also have an immu-noenhancing effect on the immune response of mice, depending on dosage [60]. BALB/c mice are highly susceptible to autoimmune interstitial nephritis, while C57BL/6 mice are genetically resistant to this nephritis... 

Mas M, Subra JF, Lagrange D, Pilipenko-Appolinaire S, Gauguier D, Druet P, Fournie GJ. Quantitative trait locus analysis of immune responsiveness to gold salt in a F2 cohort of (Lewis x Brown Norway) rats identifies a new major susceptibility locus for IgE response on chromosome 9. Eur j Immunol 2000 30 1698-1705. 

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