Reversible Inhibition of Lymphocyte-Mediated Cytolysis by Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was found to inhibit reversibly in vitro lymphocyte-mediated, but not serum antibody-mediated cytolysis. Evidence is presented that the inhibition involves the prevention of productive interaction (i.e., contact which leads to lysis) and that DMSO does not inhibit the later events of the lytic cycle. Immunosuppressive activity could not be demonstrated in vivo presumably due to the inability to sustain high levels of DMSO. DMSO was used to estimate the time from interaction to lysis of target cell.