Permanent inhibition of capping of spleen lymphocytes from neonatally oestrogen-treated female mice.

Female mice of the NMRI strain were injected with 5 μg diethylstilboestrol (DES) or oestradiol-17β for the first 5 days after birth. Controls were given olive oil only. At the age of 4–6 months, the spleen lymphocyte population from the DES females had about half the percentage of cells undergoing capping after exposure to concanavalin A (Con A) as controls. The results from the oestradiol-injected females varied. After treatment of lymphocytes from DES females with colchicine, the percentage cells capping was as in control females. Binding studies did not reveal any difference in Con A receptor affinity or receptor number between DES females and controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]