The influence of immunosuppressive drugs on T- and B-cell apoptosis via p53-mediated pathway in vitro and in vivo.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to assess the effects of calcineurin and inosine-5-monophosphate-dehydrogenase inhibitors on p53-mediated-apoptosis in T- and B-cells in vitro and in human heart-transplanted recipients (HTx-R).


METHODS
For in vitro experiments, peripheral blood from healthy volunteers was collected and treated either with 1 microM cyclosporin A (CsA; n = 6), 10 microM mycophenolic acid (MPA; n = 6) or 100 nM tacrolimus (TRL; n = 6). For the second part, peripheral blood was collected from HTx-R undergoing CsA-MPA (n = 11) or TRL-MPA (n = 11) therapy before (0 hr) and after (2 hr) acute drug application and from healthy volunteers (n = 11) without drug therapy. Whole blood (part 1+2) was stimulated (24 hr) with eight different concentrations of actinomycin-D (0-800 nM), an apoptosis inductor acting via p53-pathway. Apoptotic lymphocytes were measured by TUNEL and expression of Annexin-V using FACS. Drug effects were calculated by taking the effects of actinomycin-D as baseline values.


RESULTS
In vitro drug treatment with CsA, MPA, and TRL significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the apoptotic effect of actinomycin-D in T-cells in a noncompetitive manner. In HTx-R undergoing drug therapy, there was a similar antiapoptotic effect observed in both T- and B-cells (P < 0.05). Differences between 0 hr and 2 hr after acute drug application did not exist. Apoptosis induced by actinomycin-D can be completely blocked by caspase-inhibitor zVAD-FMK.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that, in vitro and in HTx-R, an inhibition of calcineurin and inosine-5-monophosphate-dehydrogenase by CsA, TRL, or MPA lead to an inhibition of T-and B-cell apoptosis via p53-pathway. This assay may be helpful to provide insights into mechanisms of immunosuppressive drugs in regulation of apoptosis in lymphocytes.
Boldt
Andreas
A
University of Leipzig Heart Center, Department of Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, Germany. andreasboldt@web.de
Barten
Markus J
MJ
Sagner
Anja
A
Mohr
Friedrich W
FW
Adams
Volker
V
Dhein
Stefan
S
Gummert
Jan F
JF
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D003609:Dactinomycin; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D016559:Tacrolimus