Biochemical effects of KH 1060 and anti-TNF monoclonal antibody on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the vitamin D analogue KH 1060 could exert a suppressive action on Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). The chimeric anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody (anti-TNF), alone or in combination with KH 1060, was also used. KH 1060 (0.01, 0.1, 1 nM) significantly inhibited cell proliferation, determined after 5 days by [3H]thymidine incorporation, when peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), obtained from healthy subjects, were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and incubated for 24 h in the absence and in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In the same experimental conditions, anti-TNF exerted a significant inhibition on PBMC proliferation, at the lowest doses (0.001, 0.01 μg/ml) in the absence of LPS, and at 0.001, 1, 10 μg/ml in its presence. A synergistic inhibition was registered combining KH 1060 and anti-TNF, at well-defined concentrations. 0.1 nM KH 1060 produced a significant decrease in TNF-α levels, determined by ELISA, although less remarkable than in the presence of anti-TNF. This decrease was synergistic, associating 0.1 nM KH 1060 and 0.1 μg/ml anti-TNF. VDR protein levels were increased by 0.1 nM KH 1060, 0.1 μg/ml anti-TNF or their combination. The protein levels of two oncogenes, Bax and Bcl-2, remained unchanged, when PBMC were incubated with KH 1060, anti-TNF or their combination in the absence of LPS, while, in its presence, an increase was registered. The demonstrated anti-TNF-α effect of KH 1060 may suggest for this compound an immunosuppressive action and the possibility to synergistically act with other drugs.