ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments

2001, VOLUME 1

Influence of the Preservative Thiomersal on the Interleukin-1-Beta Release of Human Peripheral Blood Cells

Matthias Fischer¹, Brigitte Keller-Stanislawski¹, Susanne Schober-Bendixen², Rudolf Schosser³, Katrin Hacke¹, Thomas Hartung⁴ and Thomas Montag¹

¹Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, D-Langen; ²Baxter AG, A-Wien; ³Baxter Deutschland GmbH, Hyland-Immuno Division, D-Heidelberg; ⁴Universität D-Konstanz

SUMMARY

Several vaccines have been tested in the human whole blood pyrogen test as an alternative to the rabbit pyrogen test. As reported previously by our group, the alternative testsystem is basically applicable to vaccines. The widely used conservative thiomersal is influencing the test system. Surprisingly, the induction of fever inducing cytokines by endotoxin contaminations and other pyrogens can be suppressed by thiomersal.

Keywords: 3R, alternatives, replacement, pyrogen testing, fever, thiomersal, vaccines, LPS, endotoxin