title: In vitro activation of murine peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) and peritoneal macrophages by ST 789.
abstract: ST 789 is a new synthetic compound characterized by an amino acidic group joined to the N9 position of the hypoxanthine ring, which has been shown recently to have immunomodulating properties and minimal toxicity. The drug has been reported to protect immunosuppressed mice from microbial infections and tumour growth, and to restore the mitogen-induced proliferation of splenocytes from immunosuppressed young mice. In this study, we show that in vitro addition of ST 789 is able to markedly augment the sheep red blood cells (SRBC) phagocytosis by PEC, and to potentiate the cytotoxic activity of peritoneal exudate (PE) macrophages (M phi) vs the L-M tumour cell line. We also found that ST 789 enhanced the rIFN-gamma-induced NO2- release from cultured PE M phi. Similarly, in vitro addition of ST 789 to the latter cultures significantly increased the production of interleukin 1 (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These studies demonstrate that ST 789 is a potent phagocyte activator for the induction of cytokine release, phagocytosis and cytotoxic activity against tumour cells in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Sigma-Tau S.p.A., Research and Development, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pomezia, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Foresta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Albertoni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pacello
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leoni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arrigoni Martelli
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000166:cytology; D007042:Hypoxanthines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007042:Hypoxanthines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C054420:PCF 39; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine