Abstract
The fungus metabolite cyclosporin A is a small peptide acting as a novel antilymphocytic agent. It strongly depressed appearance of both direct and indirect plaque-forming cells and produced a clear dose-dependent inhibition of haemagglutinin formation in mice upon oral administration. Skin graft rejection in mice and graft-versus-host disease in mice and rats were considerably delayed by cyclosporin A which also prevented the occurrence of paralysis in rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. This compound was not only highly effective in preventing development of Freund's adjuvant arthritis, but in addition improved the symptoms in rats with established arthritis, although it is inactive in acute inflammation. This new agent contrasts with other immunosuppressives and cytostatic drugs in its weak myelotoxicity. Experimental evidence suggests that cyclosporin A, rather than being cytostatic or lympholytic, affects an early stage of mitogenic triggering of the immunocompetent lymphoid cell.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. Rüegger, M. Kuhn, H. Lichti, H. Loosli, R. Huguenin, C. Quiquerez andA. von Wartburg,Cyclosporin A, ein immunosuppressiv wirksamer Peptidmetabolit aus Trichoderma polysporum (Link ex Pers.) Rifai, Helv. chim. Acta (in press).
J.F. Borel,Comparison of the Immune Response to Sheep Erythrocytes, Tetanus Toxoid and Endotoxin in Different Strains of Mice, Agents and Actions4, 277–285 (1974).
G. Takatsy,The Use of Spiral Loops in Serological and Virological Micromethods, Acta microbiol. Hung.3, 191–202 (1956).
R.E. Billingham andP. B. Medawar,The Technique of Free Skin Grafting in Mammals, J. exp. Biol.28, 385–402 (1951).
A. H. Owens andG. W. Santos,The Effect of Cytotoxic Drugs on Graft-versus-Host Disease in Mice, Transplantation11, 378–382 (1971).
R.A.C., Hughes andJ. Stedronska,The Susceptibility of Rat Strains to Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis, Immunology24, 879–884 (1973).
C.A. Winter andG.W. Nuss,Treatment of Adjuvant Arthritis in Rats with Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Arthritis Rheum.9, 394–404 (1966).
R. Feissly andH. Luedin,Microscopie par contrastes de phases, Rev. Hémat.4, 481–490 (1949).
R.P. Lisak andP.O. Behan,Experimental Autoimmune Demyelinating Diseases: Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis and Experimental Allergic Neuritis, Biomedicine22, 81–87 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Borel, J.F., Feurer, C., Gubler, H.U. et al. Biological effects of cyclosporin A: A new antilymphocytic agent. Agents and Actions 6, 468–475 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973261
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973261