Lymphocyte adenylate cyclase activity in immunosuppressed patients

In order to determine whether alterations of adenylate cyclase are involved in the immunosuppressive effect of glucocorticoid/cyclosporin treatment we measured basal, prostaglandin E1-, and forskolin-stimulated cAMP production in lymphocyte membranes from kidney transplant patients undergoing glucocorticoid and/or cyclosporin A treatment. Healthy volunteers and hemodialysis patients with immunosuppression due to uremia served as controls. Whereas adenylate cyclase activity was similar in healthy and uremic controls, basal and stimulated activity were increased threefold in patients with immunosuppressive medication. We suggest that an activation of adenylate cyclase might be involved in the immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoids and/or cyclosporin A.