Bl. Liang et al., Anti-inflammatory effects of theophylline: Modulation of immune functions during murine leukemia virus infection, IMMUNOPH IM, 23(3), 2001, pp. 307-319
LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus induces immune dysfunction leading to B cell l
eukemia and murine AIDS with cytokine dsyregulation. Theophylline induces a
poptosis of leukemia cells in humans. Therefore the effects of theophylline
on immune dysfunction in a murine model of leukemia were investigated. C57
BL/6 mice consumed drinking water containing 0.3% theophylline beginning 2
weeks after murine retrovirus infection for 4 months. Theophylline largely
prevented the retrovirus induced splenomagaly, lymphodenopathy, reduction i
n B and T cell proliferation., and suppression of Th1 cytokines (IL-2) secr
etion. It also suppressed Th2 cytokine (IL-4. TNF-alpha, and IL-10) product
ion. which was otherwise stimulated by retrovirus infection. These data sug
gest that immune dysfunction, induced by murine retrovirus infection, was l
argely prevented by theophylline treatment.