title: Lymphotoxic activity of methyl prednisolone in vitro--I. Comparative toxicity of methyl prednisolone in human cell lines of B and T origin.
abstract: The cytotoxic activity of methyl prednisolone was compared in EB-3(B), NALM-6(B), CCRF-CEM(T) and RPMI-8226 (plasma cell) cell lines derived from human lymphoid malignancies. Whereas EB-3 cells were steroid-sensitive, NALM-6 cells were partially sensitive and CCRF-CEM and RPMI-8226 were steroid resistant at concentrations of methyl prednisolone up to 10(-4) M. A high concentration of methyl prednisolone, 2.5 X 10(-3) M was toxic to all cell lines. Steroid-sensitivity did not correlate with the incorporation of [3H] dexamethasone and could not be mimicked by flurbiprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Both theophylline and di-butyryl cAMP were toxic towards NALM-6, EB-3 and CCRF-CEM cells; however, this toxicity was reversible and did not reflect the cells' sensitivities towards methyl prednisolone. Furthermore, elevated levels of cAMP in theophylline-treated cells, were not demonstrable in cells treated with methyl prednisolone at toxic or non-toxic concentrations of the steroid. Steroid-sensitive EB-3 cells exposed to 10(-5) M methyl prednisolone, produced a soluble factor which was toxic CCRF-CEM cells.
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000378:metabolism; D005480:Flurbiprofen / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013806:Theophylline / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D005480:Flurbiprofen; D003994:Bucladesine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D013806:Theophylline; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D008775:Methylprednisolone