Effect of a Nitric Oxide Donor on Intracellular Cytokine Production in Normal Human Peripheral Lymphocytes

概要

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It has been recently suggested that nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in modulating immune responses including helper T (Th) cell differentiation. To investigate the effect of NO on cytokine production in T cells, we examined in vitro the percentage of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 producing cells by the intracellular cytokine staining method with flow cytometry. The percentage of IFN-γ and IL-4 producing cells reached maximal value 8 h after stimulation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin. When an NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), was co-incubated with PMA and ionomycin for 8 h, nitrite levels increased in a dose dependent manner for SNP (P = 0.007; Friedman test). The percentage of IFN-γ producing cells was diminished in consequence of the increasing doses of SNP (P = 0.002; Friedman test). While the percentage of IL-4 producing cells tended to be diminished by SNP, this difference, however, was statistically not significant (P = 0.062; Friedman test). Therefore, we have suggested that NO might affect Th cell differentiation through inhibition of Th1-cytokine production and might cause a Th2 cell predominant state.
鳥取大学の論文
1998-03-00