Cyclosporin A therapy differently affects immunological-relevant gene expression following immunization.

We have studied the effect of cyclosporin A (CSA) on the expression of genes involved in the immune response in mice bearing a transgenic T cell receptor specific for the peptide 88-104 of the pigeon cytochrome c. Immunization of mice treated with CSA resulted in the blockade of the IL2, IFN-gamma, CXCR-5, CCR-5 and CD25 gene transcription. CSA decreased the density of CD69 on T-cells but did not interfere with the induction of the chemokine receptors CCR-1, CCR-4, CXCR2 and CXCR-4. Finally, CSA accelerated the kinetics of CD44 and CD62L expression or re-expression and increased the density of both markers on T-cell membrane. The present data show that priming in presence of CSA resulted in the acquisition of a particular phenotype by the activated T-cells.