The differential effects of hydrocortisone on activation and tolerance induction in human T lymphocyte clones.
The in vitro effects of hydrocortisone on T cell activation and tolerance induction were investigated using human influenza virus immune T cell lines and clones. Hydrocortisone at 10(-9) to 10(-6) molar concentrations was able to inhibit the antigen induced but not the T cell growth factor (TCGF) mediated proliferative response of both the lines and clones. However, hydrocortisone was able to inhibit TCGF production by cloned T cells. The proliferative response of cloned T cells to intact influenza virus A/Texas/1/77 was more markedly inhibited by equivalent concentrations of hydrocortisone than was the response of that clone to a 24 amino acid sequence (p20) of the haemagglutinin molecule implying that hydrocortisone may also act at the level of antigen processing. Furthermore hydrocortisone was able neither to induce T cell tolerance alone nor to inhibit antigen specific tolerance induction. However, hydrocortisone did lower the antigen threshold for tolerance induction. The possible mechanisms of hydrocortisone activity in the modulation of T cell regulation in autoimmune disease are discussed.
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007376:Interleukin-2; D006854:Hydrocortisone