Effect of Pentoxifylline and HWA 138 on Production of Tumor Necrosis and Interleukin 6 From Monocytes

AbstractWe have studied the effects of pentoxifylline and HWA 138 on the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) from human monocytes and the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. TNF and IL-6 were quantitated by bioassays based on the cell lines WEHI 164 clone 13 and B9, respectively. Pentoxifylline and HWA 138 at concentrations 10-3 to 10-5 M inhibited the production of TNF from both cell types (human monocytes : 3–49 % of control, RAW 264.7 : 1–83 % of control). In contrast, there was no inhibitory effect on the production of IL-6 and the highest concentration of both derivatives (10-3 M) even increased the IL-6 production. The study demonstrates that the xanthine derivatives have a differential effect on the production of TNF and IL-6 by monocytes.