Effect of swainsonine on stimulation and cell cycle progression of human lymphocytes Journal Article


Authors: Myc, A.; Kunicka, J. E.; Melamed, M. R.; Darzynkiewicz, Z.
Article Title: Effect of swainsonine on stimulation and cell cycle progression of human lymphocytes
Abstract: The indolizidine alkaloid swainsonine (SW) is an inhibitor of lysosomal a-mannosidase reported to have antimetastatic activity in animal models. The cells grown in its presence develop truncated (hybrid) surface oligosaccharides that may alter their functional properties dependent on interactions of various ligands with membrane receptors. In the present study we observe that SW enhances stimulation of human lymphocytes induced by suboptimal concentration of concanavalin A. The enhancement is manifested by an increased proportion of cells undergoing transition from G8 (G1q) to G1 and progressing through the cell cycle (S + G2 + M). In contrast, SW suppresses stimulation of lymphocytes by phytohemagglutinin, and the degree of suppression is greater when measured by the number of cells progressing through the cell cycle (S + G2 + M) than by the proportion of cells entering G1 phase. The suppression remains evident even when SW is added 12 h after phytohemagglutinin, suggesting that SW modifies membrane receptors that develop in G1 and are necessary for cell entrance to S phase. The modification of receptors by SW thus up-regulates stimulation by concanavalin A and down-regulates stimulation by phytohemagglutinin. SW has no effect on lymphocyte stimulation induced by OKT3 monoclonal antibody or on the progression of cells from three leukemic cell lines, HL-60, LI210, and MOLT-4, through the cell cycle. The present data are compatible with the possibility that the reported suppression of the growth of metastatic mouse tumors by SW may be due to the immunomodulatory properties of this alkaloid. © 1989, American Association for Cancer Research. All rights reserved.
Keywords: human cell; lymphocyte proliferation; cytology; cell cycle; drug synergism; lymphocyte activation; cell culture; immunomodulation; alkaloids; lymphocytes; antigens, surface; concanavalin a; human; priority journal; support, non-u.s. gov't; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.; phytohemagglutinins; swainsonine
Journal Title: Cancer Research
Volume: 49
Issue: 11
ISSN: 0008-5472
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research  
Date Published: 1989-06-01
Start Page: 2879
End Page: 2883
Language: English
PUBMED: 2497968
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 14 April 2020 -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Myron Melamed
    148 Melamed
  2. Jolanta E. Kunicka
    17 Kunicka