Fadia Mahmoud1, Habib Abul2, Babatunde Onadeko3,
Mousa Khadadah3, Donald Haines4 and Gareth Morgan5
1Departmentﾊof Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied
Health Sciences and Nursing, Kuwait University,
Sulaibekhat, P.O. Box 31470, Kuwait 90805
2Departmentﾊof Pharmacology, 3Department of Medicine
and 5Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University,
Safat, P.O. Box 24923, Kuwait 13110
4Departmentﾊof Pathology, University of Connecticut School of
Medicine,
363 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3105, USA
Abstract: The effects of GinkgolideﾊB (BN52021) on in vitro activation
responses of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from asthmatic
patients was measured using 2-channel flow cytometric analysis of activation-associated
cell surface antigens or ELISA assays for cytokines known to be expressed
by PBMC during T1 or T2 immunological activation. BN52021 is an anti-inflammatory
extract of Ginkgo biloba and has been used therapeutically. It is
a known inhibititor of platelet activating factor (PAF), which is important
in the pathogenesis of asthma, and may synergise with cyclosporinﾊA (CyA)
to inhibit pathogenic immune activation in asthmatics. We compared the inhibitory
effects of BN52021 and CyA (1ﾊmM each) on activation
of PBMC of asthmatic patients stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate and
calcium ionophore. Inhibition of production of the cytokines IL-4 and IL-5
by BN52021 was insignificant compared to CyA. However, BN52021 significantly
reversed the increase in activation-associated CD45RA expression, with a
trend towards decreased expression of HLA-DR. Lymphocyte activation markers
were not significantly altered by CyA. Since they appear to have differing
effects on activated cells, the anti-inflammatory effects of CyA and BN52021
in atopic asthma is potentially additive. The present approach may be useful
for preliminary evaluation of novel therapeutic modalities for asthma treatment.
Keywords: Asthma, Gingkolide, Lymphocyte activation, Interleukins 4 and
5, Immunosuppression