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The immunosuppressive effects of verapamil upon mitogen activated and allo-antigen inducible human cytotoxic t-lymphocytes

1994; Elsevier BV; Volume: 16; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0192-0561(94)90102-3

1879-3495

B Zanker, Sibylle Marx, Terry B. Strom, Hans Köhler,

Adenosine and Purinergic Signaling

In this study, the effect of verapamil, a phenylalkylamine-type Ca2+ antagonist, upon the activation of human mononuclear cells was investigated and a detailed analysis of the kinetics and dose related effects of verapamil upon alloreactive cytotoxic T-cells (CTL) was undertaken. Verapamil suppressed the release of interleukin-2, proliferation and generation of CTL activity in mitogen and alloantigen stimulated human T-lymphocytes in a dose related fashion. Verapamil suppressed the steady state levels of several T-cell activation-associated gene transcripts, i.e. the mRNA encoding for interleukin-2, and a cytotoxic T-cell specific serine esterase. Verapamil exerted a novel immune-suppressive effect, i.e. the inhibition of mature alloantigen-inducible cytolytic T-cells, thus rendering verapamil a progenitor of potent and clinically useful immunosuppressive drugs.