title: How steroids steer T cells.
abstract: Recent papers from Mahata et al. and Bereshchenko et al. reveal how steroids steer immune responses by tipping T helper (Th) subset balances and activities. Pregnenolone produced by Th2 cells mediates immunosuppressive responses, and glucocorticoids stimulate regulatory T cell development via the induction of GILZ expression.
authors.affiliation: Inflammation Research Center, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: claude.libert@irc.vib-ugent.be.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Libert
authors.affiliation: Inflammation Research Center, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dejager
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D012313:RNA; D011284:Pregnenolone