concanavalin-a and tranilast

Tranilast is an anti-allergic drug that inhibits the release of chemical mediators from mast cells. There have been cases-reports showing that tranilast is effective for the treatment of granulomatous diseases such as granuloma annulare and cutaneous sarcoidosis. Here we examined the in vitro effects of tranilast on the formation of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) from human peripheral monocytes. Supernatant of concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated mononuclear cells induced Langhans-type and foreign body-type MGCs and the addition of 10 or 100 microg/ml tranilast inhibited the formation of total MGCs and foreign body-type MGCs. Tranilast decreased the number of MGCs with 16

Topics: Anti-Allergic Agents; Cell Differentiation; Concanavalin A; Flow Cytometry; Giant Cells; Humans; Monocytes; ortho-Aminobenzoates

Optimal conditions for in vitro histamine release mediated either by Con A (3 micrograms/ml) or by Ionophore A23187 (1 microgram/ml), were established for mouse peritoneal mast cells and human normal basophils. In both systems N-5' exerts potent inhibiting effects on histamine release after short term (1-5 minutes) in vitro preincubation. At concentrations of 1mM for mouse mast cells and 3mM for normal human basophils, N-5' inhibits up to 95% Con A-induced histamine release and more than 50% ionophore-induced histamine release. Such in vitro effects are more potent than DSCG-mediated inhibition, under similar experimental conditions, and are resistant to challenge with exceeding doses of the two releasing agents, particularly in the Con A system. Interestingly, basophils with apparent normal morphology, from a CML patient, were resistant to both challenges.

Topics: Animals; Basophils; Calcimycin; Cells, Cultured; Concanavalin A; Histamine Release; Humans; Mast Cells; Mice; ortho-Aminobenzoates