[Suppressive effect of oxatomide on the induction of IL2 responsiveness by DF-stimulated lymphocytes from patients with bronchial asthma].

Oxatomide is an anti-allergic agent having an anti-histamine effect, and has been widely used for clinical purposes. The effect of oxatomide-treatment on the induction of IL2 responsiveness by Df-stimulated lymphocytes was studied in patients with bronchial asthma. Oxatomide alone has almost no effect on lymphocyte activation. Patient's lymphocytes pretreated with 2 to 2000 ng/ml doses of oxatomides for 24 to 48 hours failed to produce Df-induced IL2 responsiveness in a dose-dependent manner. The target cells for oxatomide's suppressive effect were antigen-presenting cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells rather than responder T cells. PPD-induced IL2 responsiveness was also suppressed by the treatment, but the Con A-induced response was not. The results suggest that oxatomide has a slight immunosuppressive capability to block the induction of IL2 responsiveness by Df-stimulated patient's lymphocytes, resulting in the decreased production of such lymphokines as IL2, IL3, IL4, IL5, in a lymphokine cascade of allergic responses, in addition to inhibition of the degranulation and activation of inflammatory cells such as mast cells/basophils and eosinophils.