title: Glucocorticosteroids affect functions of airway- and blood-derived human T-cell clones, favoring the Th1 profile through two mechanisms.
abstract: Glucocorticosteroids (GCS) are beneficial in allergic asthma. GCS therapy results in reduced mRNA expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-5 in cells from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) but not of IFN-gamma. In vitro studies with blood-derived T cells, however, show inhibition of all three cytokines by GCS. We studied the effects of GCS on T cells from BAL in vitro, namely Th0-, Th1, and Th2-like clones; and we compared BAL- with blood-derived clones. Dexamethasone (DEX) inhibited the anti-CD3-induced production of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma in all 20 clones tested. IFN-gamma production was inhibited significantly less than IL-4 and IL-5. DEX enhanced the ratio IFN-gamma/IL-4 (mean +/- SEM: control, 28.7 +/- 17.6; with 10-7 M DEX, 55.0 +/- 27.5, P<0.005). Interestingly, two categories of clones were distinguished based on the effects of GCS on IL-2 production and IL-2R alpha expression and proliferation; 1) In low IL-2 producers DEX blocked IL-2 production and decreased IL-2R alpha expression and proliferation; 2) In high IL-2 producers DEX inhibited IL-2 production partially and enhanced IL-2R alpha expression and proliferation. Anti-IL-2 and anti-IL2R alpha blocked the DEX-induced increase in proliferation. High levels of added IL-2 induced the second type of response. In conclusion, the production of IL-4 and IL-5 by T-cell clones (derived either from BAL or blood) was more sensitive to inhibition by DEX than that of IFN-gamma, which may account for the therapeutic effects of glucocorticosteroids in patients with asthma. The differential effects of DEX on the proliferation of high and low IL-2 producers in vitro may implicate a selective outgrowth of Th1-like T cells in vivo in patients treated with steroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Clinical and Laboratory Immunology Unit, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Krouwels
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: van der Heijden
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lutter
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van Neerven
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Out
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007700:Kinetics; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015848:Interleukin-5; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D003907:Dexamethasone; D007371:Interferon-gamma