In vitro immunosuppressive activities of recently developed anthracycline cytostatics.

The effects of a series of seven anthracycline cytostatics on various human leukocyte functions, namely the production of Migration Inhibition Factor (MIF) by lymphocytes and the production of chemiluminescence by activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), as well as on classical and alternative pathways of activation of human complement were investigated. In addition, lipophilic and electrochemical properties of the compounds were determined, by measuring their High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) capacity ratio (k') and half-wave reduction potential (E1/2). The antitumor agents under investigation suppressed, in most cases, lymphocyte and PMN functions, whereas complement activity remained unaffected. The extent of suppressive effects showed a good correlation with the lipophilicity of the compounds, while no correlation with reduction potentials was found.