An action of disodium cromoglycate: inhibition of cyclic 3',5'-AMP phosphodiesterase.

Disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) prevents allergic asthma by inhibiting the release of chemical mediators of immediate-type allergic reactions. The mechanism of this action is unclear and prompted us to examine the effect of DSCG on cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), the implicated regulator of IgE-mediated reactions. We used the peripheral blood lymphocyte as a model to mirror the biochemical events occurring in the allergic shock organs. Isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes from perennial allergic asthmatic children receiving only DSCG had significantly (p less than 0.005) lower phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity (mean 1.05 +/- 0.17 SE per 10(6) cells) than normal individuals (2.93 +/- 0.14) and allergic children receiving methylxanthines (4.08 +/- 0.28) or no medications (3.58 +/- 0.2). DSCG (10 mug/ml) significantly lowered PDE activity in normal lymphocytes (p less than 0.005) in a beef heart extract (p less than 0.001), and 100 mug/ml lowered PDE activity in fetal rabbit lung homogenates (p less than 0.001). DSCG (10 mug/ml) significantly elevated (p less than 0.01) cAMP concentration in normal human lymphocytes (118 +/- 38 vs 30 +/- 10 picomoles cAMP/10(6) lymphocytes). Thus, DSCG appears to inhibit chemical mediator release by increasing intracellular cAMP through the inhibition of cAMP PDE.