TREATMENT WITH THE ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE-1 INHIBITOR 6-O-BUTANOYL CASTANOSPERMINE REDUCES THE DETECTION OF LFA-1 (CD18 CD11A) BY MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES/

The antiviral clinical candidate 6-O-butanoyl castanospermine (MDL 28, 574), an alpha-glucosidase 1 inhibitor, was examined for its effect on elementary parameters of immune function, It did not affect the mitog enic response of uninfected human mononuclear leukocytes or the detect ion of a range of cell surface markers, with the exception of the inte grin LFA-1 (CD18/CD11a), which was reduced, after cell growth in vitro . The detection of LFA-1 was also reduced on both human and murine cel ls after oral administration of the compound to xenochimaeric or norma l mice, respectively, Altered LFA-1 expression or function may contrib ute to reduced cell adhesion and the observed reduction in the ill vit ro allogeneic response by uninfected cells, as well as the previously described prevention of cell conjugate and HIV-induced syncytium forma tion.