Cilomilast, a PDE4 Inhibitor, Suppresses CD4+ and CD8+
T Cell Proliferation in the Thymus and Spleen of Rats: Mechanism of
Glutathione Reduction
Arzu Gezer1*, Nurcan Kılıç Baygutalp2, Mustafa
Cengiz3, Bahri Gür4*, Mustafa Özkaraca5
1*Vocational
School of Health Services, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye;
1*Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Graduate
School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Atatürk University, Erzurum/Türkiye;
2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Atatürk
University, Erzurum, Türkiye; 3Department of Elementary
Education, Faculty of Education, Siirt University, Siirt, Türkiye;
4*Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences and
Arts, Iğdır University, Iğdır, Türkiye; 5Department of
Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cumhuriyet University,
Sivas, Türkiye
*Corresponding
author:
Arzu Gezer (PhD), arzu.gezer@atauni.edu.tr,
Bahri Gür (PhD), bahri.gur@igdir.edu.tr
Abstract
Cilomilast is an oral phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor recommended
for treating COPD. However, its side effects and low therapeutic index remain an
unresolved problem in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the
effects of cilomilast on the spleen and thymus tissues of rats. For experimental
studies, 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats
weighing 200-220g were randomly divided into three experimental groups: The
procedures were repeated for 7 days for the control, sham, and cilomilast
groups. Blood and tissue samples were collected from the rats under anesthesia
on day 8 of the experiment for analysis. p<0.05 at a 95% confidence level was
considered to indicate statistical significance. Severe tissue damage in the
thymus and spleen was observed in the cilomilast group. In the thymus and spleen
tissues of the control and sham groups, CD4+ and CD8+ cell
immunopositivity were more intense, while the density of these cells was
significantly reduced in the cilomilast group. In addition, glutathione (GSH)
levels decreased, and nitric oxide levels increased in both tissues of the
cilomilast group. However, in-silico
results showed that the decrease in GSH levels is due to the enzymes γ-glutamylcysteine
synthase and glutathione synthase, which act as catalysts in the two-step GSH
biosynthesis mechanism. Suppression of the immune system targets both harmful
and compensatory pathways so that both beneficial mechanisms and pathological
changes can be blocked. To eliminate these cilomilast-induced side effects and
enable more effective clinical application, it may be recommended to develop
formulations such as lipid-based inhaled forms or nano-drug delivery systems
including dendrimers, reverse micelle systems, polymeric or lipid-based carriers
as an alternative to conventional application.
To Cite This Article:
Gezer A, Baygutalp NK, Cengiz M, Gür B, Özkaraca M, 2024. Cilomilast, a PDE4
inhibitor, suppresses CD4+
and CD8+ T cell proliferation in the
thymus and spleen of rats: mechanism of glutathione reduction. Pak Vet J, 44(3):
707-714. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2024.236