DOWN-REGULATION OF AUTOANTIBODY LEVELS OF CYCLOSPORINE AND BROMOCRIPTINE TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH UVEITIS

The administration of cyclosporine A, cyclosporine A plus bromocriptine, or bromocriptine results in down-regulation of antinuclear autoantibody levels in the sera of patients with uveitis. Decreased levels of autoantibodies against DNA, histones, cardiolipin, RNP, Sm, Ro (SS-A), and La (SS-B) were detected in the sera of patients with uveitis receiving cyclosporine A or cyclosporine A plus bromocriptine following 3 months of treatment. In contrast to the decreased antibody titers obtained following the treatment, the total immunoglobulin levels remained within the normal range. The results indicate that cyclosporine may affect B cell function, thereby yielding the observed decrease in autoantibody levels. This phenomenon might have clinical importance as a serological indicator of the efficiency of the patients to respond to the drug. © 1990.