Blocking of delivery of the antigen-mediated signal to the nucleus of T cells by cyclosporine

Abstract

Cyclosporine (CsA) inhibits release of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and hemopoietic growth activities such as interleukin 3 (IL-3) from major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-antigen-activated T cells. Production of both lymphokines appears to be coordinately regulated; the antigen dose response, T cell dose response, and time course of lymphokine appearance are similar. The triggering of lymphokine production by these cells is solely dependent on T cell—target cell interaction, as the T cell dose response curve indicates that no cooperation occurs between T cells, and any metabolic contribution by the target cell was eliminated by ultraviolet irradiation. This interaction triggers the transcription..