Selective effects of cyclosporin A on functional B cell subsets in the mouse.
Cyclosporin A, an immunosuppressive peptide of fungal origin, was believed to selectively affect T lymphocyte functions and to have minimal affects on B lymphocytes. This study shows that, in the mouse, T-dependent B cells and those responding to certain T-independent antigens (so-called TI-1 antigens) are indeed resistant to the drug. However, B cells responsive to other TI antigens (TI-2) are exquisitely sensitive. Thus, doses of the drug that completely abrogate responses to dinitrophenylated (DNP) Ficoll or dextran enhance the response to DNP-lipopolysaccharide and have minimal effects on the response to DNP-Brucella abortus. Virgin T helper cells are sensitive to the drug, whereas primed T cells are not. Cyclosporin A sensitivity therefore represents a novel marker of functional B cell subsets in the mouse and presumably points to fundamental physiologic differences between such subsets.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003524:Cyclosporins; D003911:Dextrans / Q000276:immunology; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology; D005362:Ficoll / Q000276:immunology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013866:Thioguanine / Q000494:pharmacology
D003524:Cyclosporins; D003911:Dextrans; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D005362:Ficoll; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D013866:Thioguanine