Fluoxetine Reduces Murine Graft-Versus-Host Disease by Induction of T cell Immunosuppression

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are widely used drugs in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Although SRIs are generally regarded as safe drugs with relatively few side effects, literature suggests that high concentrations of SRIs may alter immune function. We investigated whethe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology 2013-09, Vol.8 (4), p.934-943
Main Authors: Gobin, Veerle, Van Steendam, Katleen, Fevery, Sabine, Tilleman, Kelly, Billiau, An D., Denys, Damiaan, Deforce, Dieter L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antidepressants
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Bone Marrow Transplantation - adverse effects
Cell Biology
Female
Fluoxetine - pharmacology
Fluoxetine - therapeutic use
Graft vs Host Disease - drug therapy
Graft vs Host Disease - immunology
Humans
Immunology
Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology
Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use
Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects
Leukocytes, Mononuclear - immunology
Lymphocytes
Mice
Mice, Inbred AKR
Mice, Inbred C3H
Neurosciences
Original
Original Article
Pharmacology/Toxicology
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use
T-Lymphocytes - drug effects
T-Lymphocytes - immunology
Virology
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Summary:Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) are widely used drugs in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Although SRIs are generally regarded as safe drugs with relatively few side effects, literature suggests that high concentrations of SRIs may alter immune function. We investigated whether high-dose treatment with fluoxetine was able to suppress acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in a MHC-matched, minor histocompatibility antigen mismatched murine bone marrow transplantation model. We found that high doses fluoxetine induce a significant reduction of clinical symptoms and increase survival of these animals. The amelioration of clinical GvHD was accompanied by a reduced expansion of alloreactive T cells. We further analyzed the direct in vitro effect of six SRIs on the viability and proliferation of human T cells and found an anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effect that was significantly larger in activated than in resting T cells. We discuss these results in the light of potential future exploration of SRIs as a novel class of T cell immunosuppressive drugs.
ISSN:1557-1890
1557-1904
DOI:10.1007/s11481-013-9463-7