THE EFFECT OF CEFEPIME ON SOME IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN-VITRO - LACK OF INTERFERENCE WITH MITOGEN-INDUCED LYMPHOPROLIFERATION, IMMUNOGLOBULIN-SYNTHESIS, IFN-GAMMA AND IL-2 SECRETION AND IL-2 RECEPTOR EXPRESSION

The possible interference of the novel antibiotic cefepime (CPE) with some functions of the immune system was investigated in vitro. Periphe ral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultured in the presence of drug co ncentrations ranging from 25 to 100 mu g/ml normally maintained their responsiveness to polyclonal (PHA, Con A, PWM) mitogenic stimulation i n regard to proliferative response, IgM and IgG synthesis and IFN-gamm a and IL-2 secretory capacity. Moreover, PHA-induced expression of IL- 2 receptors was comparable in PBMCs cultured in the presence or absenc e of CPE. Taken together, these data suggest that CPE does not interfe re, at this specific level, with T- and B-cell mediated functions in v itro.