[Study on the effect of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) on antigen induced IL-2 responsiveness]

We tested the effects of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) on antigen-induced IL-2 responsiveness in lymphocytes from patients with atopic dermatitis and/or bronchial asthma. Patient lymphocytes pretreated with 5 x 10(3) micrograms/ml DSCG for 24 or 48 hours failed to induce the responsiveness to IL-2 on stimulation with Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) or ovalbumin (OVA) antigen. DSCG-treated adherent cells were blocked to present the antigen to nonadherent responding cells for induction of IL-2 responsiveness. In contrast, DSCG-treated non-adherent cells, recombined with antigen-activated adherent cells, acquired IL-2 responsiveness. However, Con A-activated lymphocytes from the same patients were not affected by the same treatment. The results indicate that DSCG is capable of suppressing antigen-induced IL-2 responsiveness but not the response induced by mitogen such as Con A.