Cyclosporin A upmodulates the alpha-subunit of the interleukin-2 receptor and the metastatic ability of murine B16F10 melanoma cells

In the present study, the effect of in vitro cyclosporin A (CsA) treatment on IL-2R expression and the metastatic behavior of B16F10 melanoma cells ha s been reported. CsA treatment was found to increase the percentage of B16F 10 cells expressing the alpha-subunit of IL-2R on the cell surface and also at the mRNA level. Moreover, CsA treated B16F10 cells also express the bet a-subunit of IL-2. In vivo experiments showed that CsA increases the affini ty of B16F10 metastazing cells for the liver and decreases that for the lun g. CsA modulated the expression of MHC class I and class II antigens, but n o significant differences in the resistance of CsA-treated B16F10 cells to NK lysis were observed. Finally, proliferation of B16F10 cells in the prese nce of several doses of CsA did not vary and CsA increased the amount of IL -1 beta mRNA expression. These results suggest that CsA, through the modula tion of cytokines and MHC antigen expression on B16F10 cells, could have an effect upon the metastatic progression of the B16F10 melanoma.