title: Corticosteroid therapy suppresses spontaneous interleukin 2 release and spontaneous proliferation of lung T lymphocytes of patients with active pulmonary sarcoidosis.
abstract: Active pulmonary sarcoidosis is characterized by the alveolar accumulation of activated helper T lymphocytes that are spontaneously releasing IL 2 and proliferating at an enhanced rate. In this regard, sarcoidosis represents a "model" human disorder to test in vivo the known in vitro action of corticosteroids on suppressing the activated IL 2 gene. Comparable groups of patients with active sarcoidosis were prospectively evaluated with no therapy or treated with corticosteroids. Over 3.2 +/- 0.4 mo, the untreated group had no significant change in spontaneous lung T cell release of IL 2 or spontaneous proliferation. In contrast, over the same period, the treated group had marked reduction of spontaneous lung T cell release of IL 2 and proliferation (p less than 0.01, all comparisons before therapy). Furthermore, Northern analysis of lung T cell RNA before therapy demonstrated IL 2 mRNA transcripts, whereas no IL 2 transcripts were observed during therapy. These observations are consistent with the concept that directly, or indirectly, corticosteroids are capable of suppressing the IL 2 gene in activated T lymphocytes in vivo.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger