Abstract

Cyclosporin A (CsA) at 120 mg/kg body weight when injected subcutaneously into BALB/c mice along with thyroglobulin emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) was found to suppress antigen-specific IgG titre by 86%. Isotyping revealed that both IgG1 and IgG2a titres were suppressed by 87% and 57%, respectively. But under identical conditions when complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was used, the suppression of antigen-specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a titres was 50%, 51% and 55%, respectively. Injection of anti-IL-1beta-neutralizing hamster monoclonal antibodies along with thyroglobulin and CsA emulsified in CFA increased the suppression of antigen-specific IgG titre. Under such conditions the IgG1 titre was suppressed more than the IgG2a titre. Recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (rhuIL-1ra) also enhanced the suppression caused by CsA in the presence of CFA but control hamster immunoglobulin had no such effect. Recombinant human IL-1beta, when administered along with thyroglobulin and CsA emulsified in IFA, alleviated the suppression of antigen-specific IgG titre and the IgG1 titre was alleviated more than the IgG2a titre. Under identical conditions, rhuIL-1ra did not alleviate CsA-induced suppression. Lymphocytes from the lymph nodes of thyroglobulin-sensitized BALB/c mice when stimulated in vitro by thyroglobulin in the presence of CsA, secreted very little interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-4, but on addition of an optimal dose of rhuIL-1beta, IFN-gamma and IL-4 secretion was partially restored.