title: Cyclosporin A protects pancreatic islet cells from nitric oxide-dependent macrophage cytotoxicity.
abstract: It has been shown earlier in an in-vitro model of inflammatory islet cell death that activated macrophages lyse islet cells via the release of nitric oxide. Here we report that cyclosporin A suppresses macrophage cytotoxicity. Control experiments showed that the immunosuppressive drug does not improve the defences of islet cells against nitric oxide but inhibits the release of nitric oxide from LPS-stimulated macrophages. This property of cyclosporin A may contribute to the preservation of beta cell function seen in cyclosporin A-treated patients with recent onset type I diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes-Forschungsinstitut, Universität Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Burkart
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kallmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kolb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D016572:Cyclosporine