Selegiline stimulates biosynthesis of cytokines interleukin-1 beta and interleukin-6.

Several lines of evidence indicate an immune-mediated pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In clinical studies the monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor Selegiline appears to slow the progression of neurological deficits in PD and the cognitive decline in AD. The immune response to bacterial or viral infection and in chronic inflammatory processes is stimulated by an increased synthesis of the cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and subsequently interleukin-6 (IL-6). We investigated the influence of Selegiline on the synthesis of IL-1 beta and IL-6 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy blood donors cultured with or without Selegiline (10(-8)M, 10(-9)M or 10(-10)M) in a humidified atmosphere (7% CO2). Treatment of cultured PBMC with Selegiline significantly increased synthesis of both cytokines. The effect of Selegiline on cytokine biosynthesis may contribute to its putative neuroprotective properties.