title: Membrane glucocorticoid receptors (mGCR) are expressed in normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and up-regulated after in vitro stimulation and in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Glucocorticoids mediate their therapeutic actions mostly by genomic effects via cytosolic receptors, but some effects are too rapid to be mediated by changes at the genomic level. The detailed mechanisms of these nongenomic actions are still unclear. Membrane-bound glucocorticoid receptors (mGCR) have been suggested to be involved, although their physiological existence in humans so far is hypothetical. For the first time we demonstrate the existence of mGCR on monocytes and B cells obtained from healthy blood donors using high-sensitivity immunofluorescent staining. Immunostimulation with lipopolysaccharide increases the percentage of mGCR-positive monocytes, which can be prevented by inhibiting the secretory pathway. Overexpression of the human glucocorticoid receptor alpha alone is not sufficient to enhance mGCR expression. These in vitro findings are consistent with our clinical observation that in patients with rheumatoid arthritis the frequency of mGCR positive monocytes is increased and positively correlated with disease activity. We conclude that mGCR are 1) indeed physiologically present in healthy blood donors, but remained unidentified by conventional techniques due to their small number per cell and 2) actively up-regulated and transported through the cell after immunostimulation. These receptors may reflect a feedback mechanism of the organism upon immunostimulation and/or play a role in pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bartholome
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Spies
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gaber
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schuchmann
authors.forename: Timea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berki
authors.forename: Désirée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kunkel
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bienert
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radbruch
authors.forename: Gerd-Rüdiger
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Burmester
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lauster
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheffold
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buttgereit
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008081:Liposomes; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008081:Liposomes; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid