The in vitro effect of corticosteroids on T-lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with ulcerative colitis.
T-lymphocyte subpopulations were measured in the blood of 20 patients with ulcerative colitis (11 in clinical remission and 9 in exacerbation) and 9 healthy persons, before and after in vitro incubation with dexamethasone. Although we found no significant differences in the helper/suppressor T cell ratio between patients and controls before in vitro incubation, addition of dexamethasone in culture induced a significant decrease of the ratio only in patients with ulcerative colitis in exacerbation. The percentage of natural killer cells before and after incubation with dexamethasone was not altered.
Nikolopoulou
V N
VN
Department of Internal Medicine, Patras University Medical School, Greece.
Gogos
C A
CA
Zoumbos
N C
NC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000187:drug effects; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects
D003907:Dexamethasone