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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Basophil Activation Test for Allergy Diagnosis
Published on: May 31, 2021
Effects of phosphodiesterase inhibitors on interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 generation from human basophils
Nahid Eskandari1, Thulani Wickramasinghe, Peter T Peachell
1Academic Unit of Molecular Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital (Floor L), Sheffield S10 2JF.
Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to determine whether inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) modulates the stimulated generation of the cytokines, interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13, from human basophils. This was addressed by evaluating the effects of both nonselective and selective inhibitors of PDEs on the generation of cytokines from basophils. The nonselective PDE inhibitors, isobutyl-methylxanthine (IBMX) and theophylline, attenuated the IgE-mediated generation of IL-4 and IL-13 and, also, the release of histamine from basophils. The effects of the isoform-selective inhibitors, 8-methoxymethyl-IBMX (PDE 1 inhibitor), siguazodan (PDE3 inhibitor), rolipram (PDE4 inhibitor), denbufylline (PDE4 inhibitor), Org 30029 (mixed PDE3 and 4 inhibitor) and zaprinast (PDE5 inhibitor), were studied. Of these selective compounds, only rolipram, denbufylline and Org 30029 inhibited the IgE-dependent generation of IL-4, IL-13 and histamine from basophils to a statistically significant (P<0.05) degree. The effects of isoform-selective inhibitors on basophils activated by IL-3 were evaluated. The IL-3-induced generation of IL-4, IL-13 and histamine was inhibited to a statistically significant (P<0.05) extent, only by compounds that act as inhibitors of PDE4. These data suggest that inhibition of PDE4 can regulate the generation of cytokines from human basophils.
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