Immunoglobulin production induced in vitro by glucocorticoid hormones: T cell-dependent stimulation of immunoglobulin production without B cell proliferation in cultures of human peripheral blood lymphocytes

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · J. Clin. Invest.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI110408· OSTI ID:5311104

Grayson, J; Dooley, N J; Koski, I R; Blaese, R M

The direct effects of steroid hormones on the production of immunoglobulins and DNA synthesis by human T and B lymphocytes was evaluated in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. As detected by a reverse hemolytic plaque assay, the addition of 0.1 mM to 10 nM hydrocortisone to lymphocytes in culture in the absence of other stimulants or mitogens, resulted in the dramatic induction of immunoglobulin production with responses comparable to those seen in similar cultures stimulated with pokeweed mitogen. Steroid-stimulated immunoglobulin production was first seen after 48 h and peaked at 8-10 d of culture. The production of IgG, IgA, and IgM was induced following incubation with steroid. Glucocorticoids, but not estrogens or androgens, were capable of mediating this effect, and only compounds with affinity for the glucocorticoid receptor were active. The induction of immunoglobulin production was dependent on both T cells and monocytes; cultures depleted of either cell type did not produce immunoglobulin when stimulated with glucocorticoid hormones. Proliferation of B cells or T cells could not be detected by (/sup 3/H)thymidine incorporation or total cell recovery from steroid-stimulated cultures, even though such cultures demonstrated marked increases in immunoglobulin production. The mechanism responsible for this functional maturation of B cells to become high rate immunoglobulin producing cells is as yet undefined, although it appears to involve more than merely steroid mediated inactivation of suppressor T cells.

• Research Organization: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
• OSTI ID: 5311104
• Journal Information: J. Clin. Invest.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Clin. Invest.; (United States) Vol. 68:6; ISSN JCINA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMAL CELLS
AZINES
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CHEMISTRY
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DNA
GLOBULINS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HORMONES
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPHOCYTES
MATERIALS
MITOGENS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
PYRIMIDINES
RECEPTORS
RIBOSIDES
SOMATIC CELLS
STEROID HORMONES
SYNTHESIS
THYMIDINE
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS