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Effect of cyclosporin A on the immune response: pivotal role of the interleukin-2/ interleukin-2 receptor autocrine pathway

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Cyclosporin

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Abstract

In 1976 Borel first described the potent immunosuppressive activity of cyclosporin A (CsA) and its apparent selective action on T lymphocyte-dependent cell-mediated immune responses1,2. Within a decade of these initial observations CsA has become the front-line immunosuppressive agent to prevent solid organ graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease in clinical transplantation3. Its usefulness is currently being evaluated in a wide variety of autoimmune disorders with some remarkable successes4,5. Despite the wide empiric application of CsA, the precise mechanism of action of this drug remains elusive. Nevertheless, many studies have provided some insight into the action of this unique immunosuppressive drug on the cells of the immune system which mediate the events of graft rejection. It has become increasingly apparent that one of the primary actions of CsA is on the interleukin-2 (IL-2)/interleukin-2 receptor autocrine pathway. This chapter will attempt to summarize the salient features of the effects of CsA on the complex cellular events necessary for a competent immune response with a particular focus on the IL-2/IL-2 receptor pathway.

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Authors
  1. Allan D. Hess
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Immunopathology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB9 2ZD, Scotland

    Angus W. Thomson BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD, DSc, MRCPath, FIBiol (Reader in Immunology) (Reader in Immunology)

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© 1989 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Hess, A.D. (1989). Effect of cyclosporin A on the immune response: pivotal role of the interleukin-2/ interleukin-2 receptor autocrine pathway. In: Thomson, A.W. (eds) Cyclosporin. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0859-8_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0859-8_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6874-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-0859-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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