Cyclosporine inhibition of CH series murine B-cell lymphomas

To investigate the mechanisms by which cyclosporine (CsA) inhibits B-cell function, the effect of this agent on murine B-lymphoma cell lines of the CH series was tested. These lymphomas appear to be derived from a restricted B-cell population on the basis of their common expression of the Ly-1 cell surface marker and autoantibody products. Proliferation of each of the six cell lines tested was inhibited by CsA at doses without effect on the nonlymphoid HeLa cell line. The cell lines, however, differed from each other in their sensitivity to this agent. To correlate this sensitivity to other functional B-cell properties, the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the proliferation of the CH cell lines was tested. Three of the lines showed enhanced proliferation to LPS; two were inhibited while one was unaffected. The cell lines that responded with increased proliferation to LPS were the most sensitive to CsA. These results indicate that sensitivity to CsA may be a common property of B cells of certain lineages, although the degree of sensitivity may be influenced by the activation properties of these cells.