Cyclosporin A inhibits histamine release from human peripheral basophils and human skin mast cells

Cyclosporin A (CSA) is a strong immunosuppressive substance which is widely used for prevention of transplant rejection. Moreover, this compound is clinically active in different cutaneous inflammatory reactions. In the present study the effects of CSA on mediator release from activated human basophils and isolated human skin mast cells, as important effector cells of such skin diseases, were investigated. CSA exterted a dose-dependent inhibition of the IgE-mediated histamine release from both cell populations. The maximum inhibition was 64.4±9.3% and 85.8±14.2% for basophils and skin mast cells, respectively. Non-immunological histamine release induced by calcium ionophore A23817 was also inhibited. The present data suggest, therefore, that the anti-allergic properties of CSA on basophils and skin mast cells may be partially responsible for the strong anti-inflammatory effects of CSAin vivo.