Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, STI-571) suppresses cytokine production by normal T-cells activated through T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling

Abstract

RATIONALE: Imatinib mesylate (IM) is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits the BCR-ABL oncogene and is an effective therapy for BCR-ABL (+) leukemias. IM is the first successful targeted therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Recent reports demonstrated that IM inhibited proliferation of normal T cells, but its effect on cytokine synthesis by T cells is not known.