Human lymphocyte subpopulations. Effect of corticosteroids.

Abstract

A B S T R A C T Normal subjects given 60 mg of prednisone orally at 8:00 a.m. developed a transient lymphopenia at 2:00 p.m. To define the populations of lymphocytes affected the number and type of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood were assayed. "Late" and "early" spontaneous sheep red blood cell rosettes were used as markers for thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes and one of its subpopulations, respectively. Receptors for aggregated gammaglobulin and complement identified bursal-equivalent or bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocytes and one of its subpopulations, respectively. 6 h after administration of 60 mg of prednisone, the blood samples showed a decrease in proportion of T cells from 69.2±2.1% to 55.9±2.8% (average+SE) and an increase in B-cell proportion from 21.3±2.0% to 44.8± 4.1%. The changes of "early" rosettes and complement receptor lymphocytes also paralleled these. In all cases the absolute numbers of T cells and of B cells were decreased by prednisone. The density gradient distribution of the lymphocytes did not change after prednisone. These data indicate that both T and B lymphocytes are affected by the prednisone but that the T cell lymphopenia was more pronounced. The lymphopenia might reflect either sequestration in the marrow and/or transient arrest of recirculation. INTRODUCTIONCorticosteroids are a group of drugs commanding much attention in immunological investigations. They have profound effects on lymphocytes in steroid-sensitive species (1), including differential effects on lymphocyte subpopulations in mice and rats.

Anti-inflammatory effects of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate in nonatopic asthmatics

“…WALKER et al [42] reported that T-cell activation and the cytokine pattern in BAL differed between atopic asthma and nonatopic asthma. A possible reason is that steroids may decrease the number of lymphocytes -mainly T-cells [43], especially CD4-positive cells [44,45], in peripheral blood. ROBINSON et al [46] reported that the number of cells expressing messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for IL-4 and IL-5 in BAL from asthmatic patients decreased significantly after steroid therapy.…”

Cytological examination of cerebrospinal fluid in eight patients with neuro-Behcet's disease.

“…According to findings of CSF neutrophilia during increased vascular permeability (Delank 1972), the white cell counts increased, lymphocytes and monocytes decreased and the relative number of neutrophils increased (Yu et al 1974) in peripheral blood 6 hr after oral administration of prednisolone.…”

Changes in the TBARs content and superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in the lymphoid organs and skeletal muscles of adrenodemedullated rats

“…Furthermore, as is the case for all cells responsive to epinephrine via cAMP generation, immune cells display ß-adrenoceptors (15,16). In fact, epinephrine increases the proliferative capacity of CD4+ and CD8+ cells via α-receptors, but inhibits that of CD4+ cells via ß-adrenoceptors (17)(18)(19). Thus, it was proposed that when cAMP concentrations increase in the lymphocytes, the proliferative capacity of the latter is inhibited (20).…”