Anti-inflammatory effects of theophylline: modulation of immune functions during murine leukemia virus infection.

LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus induces immune dysfunction leading to B cell leukemia and murine AIDS with cytokine dsyregulation. Theophylline induces apoptosis of leukemia cells in humans. Therefore the effects of theophylline on immune dysfunction in a murine model of leukemia were investigated. C57BL/6 mice consumed drinking water containing 0.3% theophylline beginning 2 weeks after murine retrovirus infection for 4 months. Theophylline largely prevented the retrovirus induced splenomagaly, lymphodenopathy, reduction in B and T cell proliferation, and suppression of Thl cytokines (IL-2) secretion. It also suppressed Th2 cytokine (IL-4, TNF-alpha, and IL-10) production, which was otherwise stimulated by retrovirus infection. These data suggest that immune dysfunction, induced by murine retrovirus infection, was largely prevented by theophylline treatment.