Inhibitory effects of azelastine hydrochloride on Ca2+ influx, actin polymerization and release of eosinophil cationic protein of an eosinophilic leukaemia cell line EoL-1.

The inhibitory effects of azelastine hydrochloride on PAF-induced and fMLP-induced Ca2+ influx, actin polymerization and calcium ionophore A23187-induced and aggregated IgG-induced release of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) of an eosinophilic leukaemia cell line, EoL-1, were examined. EoL-1 cells cultured with 0.2 mM dibutyryladenosine-cyclic monophosphate for 48 hours showed an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and actin polymerization when stimulated by PAF and fMLP. Azelastine hydrochloride inhibited PAF-induced and fMLP-induced Ca2+ influx ([Ca2+]i) in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of 1 x 10(-8) M and 1 x 10(-7) M, respectively. It also inhibited PAF-induced and fMLP-induced actin polymerization in a dose-dependent manner up to 40% and 30%, respectively. EoL-1 cells were differentiated to contain ECP in their eosinophilic granules when cultured for 9 days with supernatants of a human adult T cell leukaemia cell line, HIL-3 (HIL-3 sup). Calcium ionophore A23187 and aggregated IgG induced the secretion of ECP by EoL-1 cells. Azelastine hydrochloride inhibited the secretion of ECP in a dose-dependent manner. These inhibitory effects were seen even at therapeutic concentrations of 10(-8) M to 10(-9) M. These results indicate that the therapeutic effects of azelastine hydrochloride as an anti-allergic agent may include inhibition of the accumulation of eosinophils into the locus of allergic inflammation and of the release of cytotoxic granules from eosinophils.