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. 2004 Jul-Sep;3(3):104-7.
doi: 10.1016/S1665-2681(19)32102-7.

Effects of ribavirin on cytokine production of recall antigens and phytohemaglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. (Inhibitory effects of ribavirin on cytokine production)

Silvia Sookoian  1 , Gustavo Castaño, Diego Flichman, Jerónimo Cello
Affiliations

Effects of ribavirin on cytokine production of recall antigens and phytohemaglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. (Inhibitory effects of ribavirin on cytokine production)

Silvia Sookoian et al. Ann Hepatol. 2004 Jul-Sep.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the effects of ribavirin on cytokine production of recall antigen and PHA-stimulated PBMC obtained from healthy individuals.

Materials and methods: PBMC were challenged with tetanus toxoid (5 microg/mL) and PHA (10 microg/mL) in absence or presence of ribavirin at different concentrations (1, 10 and 100 (microM). Parallel sets of wells containing PBMC exposed to medium alone were used as negative controls. On day 3 after initiation of the cultures, IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10, TNF-alpha content were determined in supernatants of PBMC from the different individuals.

Results: The effects of ribavirin on cytokine released by human PBMC in response to PHA and TT showed a great variation among individuals. No significant changes were observed between 1-10 microM concentrations in the production of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-10 by both PHA and TT-stimulated PBMC. Ribavirin inhibited TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 in both PHA and TT-stimulated PBMC at 100 microM (p <0.05). At this concentration, ribavirin induced an increase of 124% in the production of IL-2 by PHA-stimulated PBMC (p <0.05).

Conclusions: The present data suggest that ribavirin may cause diverse effects on immunoregulatory cytokine secretion with changes in the Th1/Th2 balance.

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Figures

<b>Figure 1.</b>
Figure 1.
Effects of ribavirin 100 μM on cytokine production of phytoheglutinin (10 μM) stimulated PBMC from healthy individuals.
<b>Figure 2.</b>
Figure 2.
Effects of ribavirin 100 μM on cytokine production of Tetanustoxoid (5 μg/L) stimulated PBMC from healthy individuals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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