REGULATION OF INTERLEUKIN-5 PRODUCTION BY PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS FROM ATOPIC PATIENTS WITH FK506, CYCLOSPORINE-A AND GLUCOCORTICOID

Upon stimulation with phorbol ester and ionomycin, peripheral blood mo nonuclear cells (PBMC) of atopic patients with moderate eosinophilia p roduced significantly higher amounts of IL-5 compared to that of norma l subjects. This finding renders further support to the notion that T cell-eosinophilic inflammation plays a central role in allergic disord ers. IL-5 induction in vitro was completely inhibited by immunosuppres sant FK506, cyclosporin A and dexamethasone. FK506 applied in vivo eff ectively suppressed clinical symptoms of atopic dermatitis and IL-5 pr oduction of PBMC. FK506 and cyclosporin A may become a better therapeu tic modality against allergic diseases.