Pentoxifylline inhibits Vγ9/Vδ2 T lymphocyte activation of patients with active Behcet's disease in vitro

The aim of this study is to evaluate the in vitro effect of pentoxifylline (PTX) on T V gamma 9/V delta 2 lymphocyte function in Behcet's disease (BD). We investigated the effect of PTX on V gamma 9/V delta 2 T cell expansion and expression of TNFRII receptor and perforin content before and after PTX addition by means of FACS analysis lymphocyte cultures from patients with active and inactive BD and healthy subjects. The addition of PTX at a concentration of 1 mg/ml determined a significant inhibition of cell expansion, a down regulation of TNF receptor expression and inhibited the PMA-induced degranulation of perforin. Taken together these data indicate that PTX is capable of interfering with V gamma 9/V delta 2 T cell function in BD, and although cell culture models cannot reliably predict all of the potential effects of the drug in vivo, our results encourage the possibility that this drug may find use in a range of immunological disorder characterized by dysregulated cell-mediated immunity.