title: The effect of hydrocortisone on PWM and LPS-induced immunoglobulin production in blood leucocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: The effect of hydrocortisone (HC) has been investigated on PWM and LPS-induced immunoglobulin (Ig) production by blood mononuclear leucocytes (MNL) from normal donors and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In the absence of HC, PWM stimulated Ig production in normal but not in SLE cells. In the presence of HC, the normal PWM response was greatly enhanced and a strong response was now seen in SLE. Spontaneous Ig production, which was higher for SLE-MNL, was not greatly affected by HC. A response to LPS was observed in both normal and SLE-MNL in the absence of HC and HC was now inhibitory, confirming that the mode of action of the 2 mitogens is different. It seems likely that HC acts by suppressing cells which influence mitogen responses, and the possibility that the principal target, at least in SLE-MNL, is the monocyte is discussed. The stimulatory effect of HC could be useful in the study of antigen-induced Ig production in SLE.
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D006854:Hydrocortisone