Effects of toxic chemicals on the immune system: the interaction of macrophages with glucocorticoids as a model system

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6409652· OSTI ID:6409652

Werb, Z.

Using dexamethasone as a model compound, the effects of drugs on the mononuclear phagocyte system were studied. The uptake and metabolism of the hormone by macrophages in culture, that the effects occur directly on macrophages and that mononuclear phagocytes from precursor stem cells to mature macrophages show some glucocorticoid-specific responses were demonstrated. Only glucocorticoids, and not sex steroids or chemical analogues have glucocorticoid effects. Although a number of tests suggest that steroid-treated macrophages are less differentiated than control cells, in fact, the glucocorticoids induce unique phenotypic expression by the macrophages in protein biosynthesis studies. Using the labeling tests, it was shown that macrophages treated with glucocorticoids in vivo respond by inducing at least one specific new protein identical to that induced by treatment of cells in culture. These data show the importance of using several independent test systems. Similar studies with other chemicals should yield valuable data about changes in specific phenotypic expression of macrophages.

• Research Organization: California Univ., San Francisco (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF01012
• OSTI ID: 6409652
• Report Number(s): DOE/TIC-1018682
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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550300 -- Cytology
551000* -- Physiological Systems
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANIMAL CELLS
BIOASSAY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CELL CULTURES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
CORTICOSTEROIDS
DEXAMETHASONE
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
MACROPHAGES
METABOLISM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHAGOCYTES
PHENOTYPE
PREGNANES
PROTEINS
SOMATIC CELLS
STEM CELLS
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
SYNTHESIS
UPTAKE