Effect of corticosteroids on suppressor-cell activity in "autoimmune" and viral chronic active hepatitis.
We detected a severe defect in concanavalin A-induced suppressor-cell activity in 22 patients with "autoimmune" chronic active hepatitis and in 26 patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive chronic active hepatitis, as compared with 20 control subjects (P less than 0.01). Normal values were observed in 21 patients with "autoimmune" hepatitis in whom a remission had been induced and maintained by treatment with prednisolone. When lymphocytes from patients with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis were preincubated with low-dose prednisolone in vitro, suppressor-cell activity was substantially improved (P less than 0.01), but no clear effect of prednisolone was seen in cells from patients with HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis. The loss of suppressor-cell activity in chronic active hepatitis may allow liver damage to continue, and the reversal of the defect in the autoimmune form of the disease by administration of low-dose prednisolone provides a plausible explanation for the efficacy of this treatment. The contrasting in vitro responses to prednisolone in autoimmune and HBsAg-positive chronic active hepatitis suggest that the fundamental nature of the suppressor-cell defect may be different in these two forms of the disease.
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D011239:Prednisolone