Selective effects of cyclosporin A on functional B cell subsets in the mouse

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 125; no. 6; pp. 2526 - 2531
• Main Authors: Kunkl, A, Klaus, GG
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Am Assoc Immnol 01.12.1980
• Subjects: Animals; Antibody Formation - drug effects; B-Lymphocytes - classification; Cyclophosphamide - pharmacology; Cyclosporins; Dextrans - immunology; Dinitrobenzenes - immunology; Ficoll - immunology; Fungal Proteins - pharmacology; Immunosuppressive Agents; Lipopolysaccharides - immunology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mice, Nude; Peptides, Cyclic - pharmacology; Thioguanine - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.125.6.2526

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.