Modulation of the immune system by ouabain

Ouabain, a known inhibitor of the Na,K-ATPase, has been shown to regulate a number of lymphocyte functions in vitro and in vivo. Lymphocyte proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine production, and monocyte function are all affected by ouabain. The ouabain-binding site occurs at the alpha subunit of the enzyme. The alpha subunit plays a critical role in the transport process, and four different alpha-subunit isoforms have been described with different sensitivities to ouabain. Analysis by RT-PCR indicates that alpha1, alpha2, and alpha3 isoforms are all present in murine lymphoid cells obtained from thymus, lymph nodes, and spleen. In these cells ouabain exerts an effect at concentrations that do not induce plasma membrane depolarization, suggesting a mechanism independent of the classical inhibition of the pump. In other systems, the Na,K-ATPase acts as a signal transducer in addition to being an ion pump, and ouabain is capable of inducing the activation of various signal transduction cascades. Neither resting nor concanavalin A (Con A)-activated thymocytes had their levels of phosphorylated-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (P-ERK) modified by ouabain. However, ouabain decreased p38 phosphorylation induced by Con A in these cells. The pathway induced by ouabain in lymphoid cells is still unclear but might vary with the type and state of activation of the cell.