Cyclosporin A #9973

Product Usage Information

Cyclosporin A is supplied as a 100 mg powder. Store at -20ºC. Cyclosporin A is soluble in ethanol at 200 mg/ml (also DMSO at 100 mg/ml) and stock solutions should be stored at -20ºC. Working concentrations and length of treatment can vary depending on the desired effect but it is typically used at around 100 nM.

Storage:

Store lyophilized or in solution at -20ºC, desiccated. Protect from light. In lyophilized form, the chemical is stable for 24 months. Once in solution, use within 3 months to prevent loss of potency. Aliquot to avoid multiple freeze/thaw cycles.

Product Description

Molecular Weight:

1202.63 g/mol

Purity:

>99%

Molecular Formula:

C₆₂H₁₁₁N₁₁O₁₂

Background

The calcium dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin is responsible for the de-phosphorylation of the transcriptional regulator nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and is essential for NFAT’s nuclear translocation and activation (1,2). Calcineurin is a target of two common immunosuppressants, cyclosporin A (CsA) (3) and FK-506 (also know as tacrolimus and fugimycin) (4), both of which can inhibit antigen and mitogen triggered T cell activation. These drugs interact with the immunophilins cyclophilin and FKBP-12, respectively, and the immunophilin-drug complex binds to calcineurin to inhibit substrate binding (5). FK-506 can be up to 100-fold more potent than CsA in various models (6-8).

1. Schulz, R.A. and Yutzey, K.E. (2004) Dev. Biol. 266, 1-16.
2. Rusnak, F. and Mertz, P. (2000) Physiol. Rev. 80, 1483-521.
3. Borel, J.F. et al. (1976) Agents Actions 6, 468-75.
4. Kino, T. et al. (1987) J Antibiot (Tokyo) 40, 1249-55.
5. Liu, J. et al. (1991) Cell 66, 807-15.
6. Henderson, D.J. et al. (1991) Immunology 73, 316-21.
7. Tocci, M.J. et al. (1989) J Immunol 143, 718-26.
8. Yoshimura, N. et al. (1989) Transplantation 47, 351-6.