Diverse effects of three furocoumarins on human lymphocyte proliferation

The biological effects of three furocoumarins on the proliferation of human normal peripheral blood lymphocytes have been investigated. Mitogen-stimulated human lymphocytes were assayed in vitro by measuring 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation in the presence and in the absence of 15-30 μM 3-carbethoxypsoralen (3-CPs), trimethylangelicin (TMA) and psoralen (PSR) with and without UV-A irradiation. The three furocoumarins differ in their ability to form mono- and bi-functional adducts with DNA pyrimidine furocoumarin doses and short times of UV-A irradiation used in the present study, 3-CPs did not affect 3H-TdR incorporation in PHA-stimulated human lymphocytes. TMA strongly inhibited 3H-TdR incorporation, while, unexpectedly, PSR increased 3H-TdR incorporation in the absence of irradiation, likely acting, under these experimental conditions, as a co-mitogen