Vitamin C combined with hydrocortisone is increasingly being used to treat septic patients, even though this treatment regimen is based on questionable evidence. When used, a marked effect on key players of innate immunity would be expected, as sepsis is featured by a dysregulated immune response. Here, we explored the effect of vitamin C and hydrocortisone alone and combined, in an ex vivo human whole-blood model of Escherichia coli - or Staphylococcus aureus -induced inflammation. Inflammatory markers for activation of complement (terminal C5b-9 complement complex [TCC]), granulocytes (myeloperoxidase), platelets (β-thromboglobulin), cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF], IL-1β, IL6, and IL-8), and leukocytes (CD11b and oxidative burst) were quantified, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, multiplex technology, and flow cytometry. In E. coli - and S. aureus -stimulated whole blood, a broad dose-titration of vitamin C and hydrocortisone alone did not lead to dose–response effects for the central innate immune mediators TCC and IL-6. Hence, the clinically relevant doses were used further. Compared to the untreated control sample, two of the nine biomarkers induced by E. coli were reduced by hydrocortisone and/or vitamin C. TNF was reduced by hydrocortisone alone (19%, P = 0.01) and by the combination (31%, P = 0.01). The oxidative burst of monocytes and granulocytes was reduced for both drugs alone and their combination, (ranging 8–19%, P < 0.05). Using S. aureus , neither of the drugs, alone nor in combination, had any effects on the nine biomarkers. In conclusion, despite the limitation of the ex vivo model, the effect of vitamin C and hydrocortisone on bacteria-induced inflammatory response in human whole blood is limited and following the clinical data.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.