Effects of immunoregulatory drugs on human peripheral blood T lymphocytes function in vitro

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the mode of action of different immunoregulatory drugs in lymphocyte proliferation and activation. METHODS: The drugs studied were prednisolone (PRED), cyclosporin A (CsA), the recombination of PRED and CsA, L-asparaginase and cytosine-arabinose (ara-C). Peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal blood donors were stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Lymphocytes proliferation and activation were determined by tritiated thymidine ([3H] TdR) incorporation, secretion of interleukin-2, level of soluble interleukin-2 receptors in the supernatant of the culture medium, and immunopheno-typing analysis of T lymphocyte subsets. RESULTS: Among PRED, CsA and their combination, the strongest inhibition of cell proliferation was induced by PRED while L-asparaginase and ara-C inhibited PHA-stimulated T cells proliferation in concentration and time dependent manner. Among PRED, CsA and their combination, CsA induced the greatest inhibition of IL-2 production. All the immunoregulatory drugs inhibited lymphocyte proliferation and expression of activation antigens. CONCLUSION: The immunoregulatory drugs inhibit both lymphocyte proliferation and activation, but in a different way. © 2002, Institute of Oncology Sremska Kamenica, Yugoslavia.