Systemic treatment with either cyclosporin A or methotrexate does not influence the T helper 1/T helper 2 balance in psoriatic patients.

Cyclosporin A and methotrexate are highly effective drugs in the treatment of psoriasis. It was hypothesized that these therapies might modulate T helper cell cytokine secretion patterns or T cell migration patterns. Flow cytometric determination of interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) and interleukin 4 (IL4) producing T helper cell frequencies, as well as of cutaneous lymphocyte associated antigen (CLA) expressing T cell frequencies was performed in patients suffering from severe psoriasis, before, during, and after a scheduled immunosuppressive regimen with either cyclosporin A or methotrexate.

Immune responsiveness in renal transplant recipients: mycophenolic acid severely depresses humoral immunity in vivo.

Background: Current immunosuppressive drug treatments for renal transplant recipients result in high one-year graft survival rates. Despite adequate suppression of the immune response directed to the allograft, the immune system remains able to cope with many infectious agents.

Methods: To define the influence of distinct immunosuppressive treatment protocols, primary and secondary cellular and humoral immune responses in groups of renal transplant recipients were studied: patient treated with prednisolone and cyclosporine A (P/CsA); with IgA CD3 monoclonal antibody as a rejection treatment superimposed on prednisolone and cyclosporine A (IgA CD3 mAb+P/CsA); and with prednisolone, cyclosporine A and mycophenolate mofetil (P/CsA/MMF).

Differentiation of human alloreactive CD8(+) T cells in vitro.

Expansion and differentiation of alloantigen-reactive CD8(+) T cells in mixed lymphocyte cultures was followed by measurement of the loss of carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) fluorescence of responder cells. Proliferation of CD8(+) T cells became detectable on day 4 of culture and, 2 days later, > 60% of the CD8(+) T cells in culture were dividing alloreactive lymphocytes. In parallel with expansion, CD8(+) T-cell differentiation was initiated, as evidenced by an increase in the number of CD45RA(-) and CD27(-) T cells and acquisition of the ability to produce interferon-gamma after restimulation with the specific alloantigen.