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A transformed view of cyclosporine

Nature volume 397, pages 471–472 (1999)Cite this article

Many transplant patients are given the drug cyclosporine to suppress their immune systems and prevent rejection. But cyclosporine also increases the risk of cancer, always thought to be a side effect of the depressed immune system. A new study shows that cyclosporine directly affects tumour growth and may be the culprit.

Cyclosporine and its relative FK506 are drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases and prevent rejection in bone marrow and organ transplantation. Originally identified by screening for antibiotics from microorganisms, these remarkable drugs suppress the immune system by altering activation of the genes that encode immune factors. However, this suppression must be balanced with the need to maintain enough strength in the immune system to combat infection. So, side effects of cyclosporine treatment are not uncommon, and include an increased risk of cancer in patients who take these drugs long-term.

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Figure 1: Previously defined mechanism for the action of cyclosporine.
Figure 2: Emerging ideas about the action of cyclosporine.

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  1. the University of Michigan, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, 4520 MSRB I, Ann Arbor, 48109-0650, Michigan, USA

    Gary J. Nabel

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  1. Gary J. Nabel
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Nabel, G. A transformed view of cyclosporine. Nature 397, 471–472 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/17207

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