Studies on 3H-levamisole binding to murine splenic lymphocytes, normal, malignant human lymphocytes and fate of levamisole in cell culture

Abstract

Background: Levamisole at high concentrations has been shown to have anticancer and immunosuppressive actions. Methods: In the present study, fate of levamisole in cell culture and 3 H-levamisole binding to murine splenic lymphocytes, normal and malignant human lymphocytes has been investigated. Results: High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of cell culture supernatants of myeloma cells treated with levamisole has shown that products of levamisole appeared with progressive culture period indicating a metabolic transformation. 3 H-levamisole binding assays indicate that the binding was signifi cantly higher in lysates of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine splenic lymphocytes as compared to whole cells. Conclusion: The degradation of levamisole could be one more possible reason for the high concentration of levamisole required to get the desirable cytotoxic effect on myeloma cells.

Keywords

• High-performance liquid chromatography analysis
• levamisole
• lymphocytes
• myeloma cells