title: The effects of immunosuppressive agents on in vitro production of human immunoglobulins.
abstract: We have evaluated the effects of CsA, methylprednisolone (MP), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), and FK506 on T cell-dependent and T cell-independent immunoglobulin production. FK506 and 6-MP were potent inhibitors of IgG and IgM production by PWM-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which depend on the presence of T cells. CsA was less effective in this system and MP actually enhanced IgG and IgM production. In order to assess the direct effects of these various immunosuppressive agents on B cells, we utilized human B cell lines representing different stages of B cell differentiation. The B cell lines CESS and SKW6.4 exhibit increased production of IgG and IgM, respectively, in response to interleukin-6. These cells represent activated, but not fully differentiated, B cells. CsA inhibited IL-6-induced IgG production by CESS cells by 64% at 100 ng/ml and 6-MP inhibited this response by 82% at 250 ng/ml. Neither CsA nor 6-MP effectively inhibited IL-6-induced IgM production by SKW6.4 cells. MP at 250 ng/ml inhibited IL-6-induced IgG production by 89%, but enhanced IL-6-induced IgM production more than two-fold. FK506 did not inhibit IL-6-induced IgG or IgM production, suggesting that it has no direct effect on the ability of B cells to respond to this differentiation factor. These experiments clearly demonstrate that CsA, MP and 6-MP have direct inhibitory effects on the response of human B cells to IL-6. In contrast, FK506 has no direct effect on these B cells lines, but is more potent than the other agents at inhibiting T cell-dependent immunoglobulin production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Albany Medical College, New York 12208.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lempert
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Freed
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D016559:Tacrolimus
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003524:Cyclosporins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D016559:Tacrolimus; D008775:Methylprednisolone