Open AccessThe influence of tetracyclines on T cell activation
Author(s) -
KLOPPENBURG M.,
VERWEIJ C. L.,
MILTENBURG A. M. M.,
VERHOEVEN A. J.,
DAHA M. R.,
DIJKMANS B. A. C.,
BREEDVELD F. C.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1995.tb03864.x
Subject(s) - minocycline , t cell , t cell receptor , cell growth , intracellular , immunology , cytokine , interferon gamma , biology , pharmacology , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , biochemistry , antibiotics
SUMMARY Minocycline has been shown to have an anti‐inflammatory effect in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Since there is evidence that RA is a T cell‐mediated disease, we investigated the effect of minocycline on human T cell clones derived from the synovium of an RA patient. The T cells, when activated via the T cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex, were suppressed functionally by minocycline, resulting in a dose‐dependent inhibition of T cell proliferation and reduction in production of lL‐2. interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) and tumour necrosis faetor‐alpha (TNF‐α). Besides an inhibition of IL‐2 production, mitiocycline exerted its effect on T cell proliferation by induction of a decreased IL‐2 responsiveness. We showed that the chelating capacity of minocycline plays a crucial role in the inhibitory effect on T cell function, since the inhibitory effect on T cell proliferation could be annulled by addition of exogenous Ca 2+ . However, minocycline did not markedly influence the typical TCR/CD3‐induced intracellular Ca 2+ mobilization. Taken together. the results clearly indicate that minocycline has immunomodulating effects on human T cells.