Cyclosporine acts by decreasing the production of:

Cyclosporine -It profoundly and selectively inhibits T lymphocyte proliferation, IL-2 and other cytokine production and response of inducer T cells to IL-l, without any effect on suppressor T-cells. Stimulation of T cell receptor produces a cascade of Ca2+ dependent events and protein kinase C (PKC) activation. The Ca2+ ions after binding to calmodulin activate a membrane-associated serine/ threonine phosphatase called calcineurin which dephosphorylates regulatory protein 'nuclear factor of activated T-cell' (NFAT), permitting its intranuclear migration and transcription of cytokine genes leading to the production of IL-2 along with other interleukins, GM-CSF, TNFa, interferon, etc. Cyclosporine enters target cells and binds to cyclophilin, an immunophilin class of protein. The complex then binds to and inactivates calcineurin response of the helper T cell to antigenic stimulation fails. Cyclosporine also enhances expression of an inhibitor of IL-2 which attenuates IL-2 stimulated T -cell proliferation and production of killer lymphocytes. ESSENTIALS of MEDICAL PHARMACOLOGY SIXTH EDITION -KD TRIPATHI Page:851