Van den Bogert C, Melis T E, Kroon A M
Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, State University, Groningen, The Netherlands.
J Leukoc Biol. 1989 Aug;46(2):128-33. doi: 10.1002/jlb.46.2.128.
The role of mitochondrial biogenesis and function during mitogenic stimulation of rat thymocytes was investigated. The results show that mitochondrial biogenesis is required to provide the ATP for the energy-requiring processes occurring during blastogenesis. Impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis by inhibition of mitochondrial protein synthesis inhibits blast transformation. Since the tetracyclines impair mitochondrial protein synthesis, the results offer an explanation for the well-known immunosuppressive effects of these antibiotics.