Antagonistic and synergistic effects of glucocorticoids and IL-7 on CD4+ T cell activation

Cima, Igor; Fuhrer, Andrea; Brunner, Thomas (2006). Antagonistic and synergistic effects of glucocorticoids and IL-7 on CD4+ T cell activation. Immunology letters, 106(1), pp. 99-102. Amsterdam: Elsevier 10.1016/j.imlet.2006.04.005

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Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroidal compounds widely used to treat chronic and acute inflammatory diseases. In particular, GCs at pharmacological doses induce apoptosis of activated and naïve T cells, inhibit their proliferation and block pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. At physiological concentrations, the effect of these steroids on T cell immunity are not yet fully understood, and various studies reported paradoxical roles exerted by GCs on T cell immunity. Here, we show that GCs surprisingly induce proliferation of activated CD4(+) T cells in the presence of IL-7, a cytokine secreted in the thymus and at mucosal sites. Increased proliferation is dependent on a GC-mediated survival of mitotic cells. Moreover, we observe a downmodulation of Th1 cytokine secretion in cells treated with GCs, an outcome which is not affected by the presence of IL-7. GCs exert thus a positive role in the presence of IL-7 by enhancing proliferation of CD4(+) T cells and simultaneously a negative role by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine production.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Pathology
UniBE Contributor:	Brunner, Thomas (A)
ISSN:	0165-2478
ISBN:	16723155
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Factscience Import
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:48
Last Modified:	29 Mar 2023 23:32
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.imlet.2006.04.005
PubMed ID:	16723155
Web of Science ID:	000239978400015
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/19919 (FactScience: 2996)