title: Effect of combined cortisol-endotoxin administration on peripheral blood leukocyte counts and phenotype in normal humans.
abstract: We studied the role of lipopolysaccharide and the associated hypercortisolemic response as mediators of leukocyte changes associated with endotoxemia. Normal human subjects were given continuous, 12-hour, intravenous infusions of cortisol. After 6 hours of cortisol infusion, lipopolysaccharide (20 U/kg) was administered in an intravenous bolus. Plasma cortisol and blood leukocyte counts and lymphocyte subset proportions were evaluated every hour throughout the 12-hour study period. After 6 hours of cortisol infusion, lymphocyte counts and proportions of CD4+ helper/inducer T cells had declined significantly. The fact that these cells did not decline further in response to lipopolysaccharide and continued cortisol infusion suggests that lipopolysaccharide-induced lymphocyte changes are cortisol dependent. In contrast, the granulocytosis normally observed after lipopolysaccharide administration was unaffected by cortisol infusion. Finally, the monocyte counts and proportions of B cells (HLA-DR+ or CD20+ cells) responded to cortisol infusion and LPS in a pattern distinct from that of lipopolysaccharide alone. These results indicate that lipopolysaccharide-induced hypercortisolemia plays a role in immune modulation during endotoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Calvano
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hawes
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: de Riesthal
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Coyle
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lowry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D006854:Hydrocortisone