Dithranol mediates pro-oxidative inhibition of polymorphonuclear leukocyte migration and lymphocyte proliferation.

Dithranol (0.01-1 micrograms/ml), but not the auto-oxidized form, caused a dose-related enhancement of the generation of reactive oxidants by leukoattractant-activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) in vitro. At the same concentrations dithranol inhibited both PMNL migration to leukoattractants and mitogen-stimulated mononuclear leukocyte (MNL) proliferation. Catalase (50-100 units/ml) protected both PMNL migration and MNL proliferation from dithranol whilst ascorbate and cysteine (1 mM), which maintain dithranol in the biologically active reduced state, potentiated the inhibition. To establish the molecular mechanism of the pro-oxidative activity of dithranol its effects on cytosolic protein kinase C (PKC) activity were investigated. Dithranol caused a dose-related activation of PKC by apparent substitution for 1,2-diolein. These results demonstrate that dithranol, but not its auto-oxidation products, activates PKC which in turn initiates the generation of reactive oxidants by PMNL. Since reactive oxidants are immunosuppressive the therapeutic mechanisms of dithranol may be related to pro-oxidative interactions of this agent with skin phagocytes.