title: Peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor ligands modulate human natural killer cell activity.
abstract: Following our earlier work, we evaluated the in vitro effect of ligands active at the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors on human natural killer cell activity. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were incubated with benzodiazepine receptor ligands. After 4 h we observed a nonspecific inhibition of natural killer cell activity induced by both peripheral (Ro5-4864 and PK 11195) and central (clonazepam) benzodiazepine receptor ligands; after 24 h, the suppressive activity was specific to peripheral and mixed (diazepam) ligands, and the central-type ligand had no effect. This significant, specific suppression of NK cell activity was completely reversed by the addition of human recombinant interleukin-2 or human leukocyte interferon. Our research provides additional information on the immunomodulatory effects of peripheral-type benzodiazepine ligands. Further studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanism of natural killer cell inhibition and to determine the clinical implications of these findings.
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Immunology Research Laboratory, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bessler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caspi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gavish
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rehavi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weizman
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007372:Interferons