title: Selective depletion of CD14+ CD16+ monocytes by glucocorticoid therapy.
abstract: Glucocorticoids (GC) are potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents that act on many cells of the body, including monocytes. Here we show that a 5-day course of high dose GC therapy differentially affected the CD14++ and the CD14+ CD16+ monocyte subpopulations in 10 patients treated for multiple sclerosis. While the classical (CD14++) monocytes exhibited a substantial increase from 495 +/- 132 to 755 +/- 337 cells/microl, the CD14+ CD16+ monocytes responded with a pronounced decrease from 36 +/- 15 to 2 +/- 3 cells/microl (P < 0.001). In 4/10 patients the CD14+ CD16+ monocytes fell below detection limits (<0.2 cells/microl). This observation was confirmed when the CD14+ CD16+ monocytes were identified by virtue of their low CD33 expression as these cells decreased as well. After discontinuation of GC therapy the CD14+ CD16+ monocytes reappeared and reached normal levels after 1 week. The profound depletion of CD14+ CD16+ monocytes by GC as described here is a novel effect of GC action in vivo and may contribute to GC-mediated immunosuppression. Determination of the number of this monocyte subset may also serve to monitor the effectiveness of GC therapy in patients requiring immunosuppressive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fingerle-Rowson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angstwurm
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andreesen
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Ziegler-Heitbrock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D017452:Receptors, IgG