Regulation of B cell function by lobenzarit, a novel disease-modifying antirheumatic drug

Lobenzarit (disodium 4-chloro-2,2'-iminodibenzoate [CCA]) is a novel disease-modifying drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although its clinical efficacy has been demonstrated, its mechanism of action remains unclear. We therefore examined the effects of CCA on in vitro IgM and IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) production by human B cells.

IgM and IgM-RF production was induced from highly purified B cells from 8 healthy donors by stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 (SAC) plus factors generated from mitogen-activated T cells (TCF) or with immobilized anti-CD3-activated CD4+ T cells.

CCA suppressed the production of IgM-RF as well as IgM at concentrations of 25-50 micrograms/ml (therapeutic serum concentrations of the drug), although the IgM-RF production induced by SAC plus TCF was suppressed at lower concentrations of CCA (1-3 micrograms/ml). Whereas CCA suppressed interleukin-2 (IL-2) production by anti-CD3-activated CD4+ T cells, its suppressive effects on B cells were not overcome by addition of IL-2 or TCF. CCA did not inhibit the initial stages of B cell activation in either culture system, but rather, suppressed the maturation of previously activated B cells. Cell cycle analysis by acridine orange staining indicated that CCA-mediated inhibition of B cell responsiveness induced by anti-CD3-activated CD4+ T cells was the result of a block at the G1-S interphase.

These results indicate that CCA suppresses the production of IgM and IgM-RF by directly inhibiting activated B cells. Thus, one of the actions of CCA in RA may be the suppression of the function of activated B cells.