title: Functional inactivation of primary T-cells stimulated in vitro in the presence of cyclosporine.
abstract: Cyclosporine (CsA) blocks in vitro polyclonal activation of primary murine T-cells in a complex manner. This cannot be completely reversed by exogenous IL2, and leads to a partial blockade in expression of the IL2 receptor (p55 chain) and, more intensely, in CD69. In proliferation assays, T-cells recovered from CsA-treated cultures and washed free from CsA were markedly refractory to restimulation in the presence of fresh accessory cells. In cell titration restimulation assays, CsA-treated, but not control T-cells, were also markedly unresponsive to accessory cell-independent stimuli provided by immobilized anti-CD3 antibody or rIL2, combined to phorbol ester. CsA-treated, but not control activated T-cells, undergo progressive cell death after drug removal and reculturing. In contrast, primary T-cells activated by a CsA-resistant pathway (rIL2 plus phorbol ester) and treated with CsA, did not develop unresponsiveness, compared to controls. When primary T-cells were stimulated with rIL2 plus phorbol ester in the presence of the calcium ionophore ionomycin, treatment with CsA resulted in marked unresponsiveness of the T-cells, compared to untreated controls. The data indicate that primary activation of T-cells in vitro in the presence of CsA induces an unresponsive state which lasts independent of the presence of CsA, and results in progressive cell death. We suggest that these effects could characterize one additional mechanism of CsA action in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dos Reis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016572:Cyclosporine