Modulation by ST 789 of in vitro lymphocyte activation and cytokine production

Our results indicate that ST 789 exhibits complex immunomodulant properties. In fact, we found that ST 789 inhibits the expression of activation antigens, such as interleukin-2 and transferrin receptors by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy subjects following mitogen stimulation, but we were not able to detect under the same experimental conditions any effect on the in vitro production of soluble CD8 antigen and of interleukin-4 as well as on the proliferative response of antigen-specific and autoreactive human T cell lines. Finally, we showed that ST 789 is able to strongly enhance the in vitro production of interleukin-6 by PHA-stimulated PBMCs. The reduced expression of activation antigens in the presence of ST 789 does not seem to be mediated by CD8+ suppressor T lymphocytes, as indicated by the normal soluble CD8 levels in culture media, but rather reflects a direct inhibitory action on T helper proliferation and likely on interleukin-2 secretion. The strong enhancement by ST 789 of the in vitro interleukin-6 production seems to indicate the most relevant possibility of clinical applications in human diseases.