Specific inhibition of TH2-type cytokine production from human peripheral T cells by terfenadine in vitro.
BACKGROUND
Cytokine imbalance is thought to be one of the causes for allergic diseases. The effect of anti-allergic drugs on cytokine production from T cells should be examined in a convenient way.


OBJECTIVE
To study the in vitro effect of terfenadine, a prototype non-sedating H1 receptor antagonist, on cytokine production from activated T cells.


METHODS
T cells were cultured in the presence of terfenadine on anti-CD3 mAb and anti-CD26 mAb-coated wells, anti-CD3 mAb and anti-CD28 mAb-coated wells, and anti-CD3 mAb wells with PMA. T-cell proliferation, along with the concentrations of interleukin (IL) -2, interferon (IFN) -gamma, IL-4, and IL-5 were measured.


RESULTS
Terfenadine inhibited T-cell proliferation and IL-4 and IL-5 production under each costimulatory condition tested, whereas it had no effect on IL-2 and IFN-gamma production.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that terfenadine has a specific inhibitory effect on TH2-type cytokine production induced by several ways of costimulatory activation.
Munakata
Y
Y
Division of Tumor Immunology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Umezawa
Y
Y
Iwata
S
S
Dong
R P
RP
Yoshida
S
S
Ishii
T
T
Morimoto
C
C
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D016593:Terfenadine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D016207:Cytokines; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D016593:Terfenadine