DIFFERENTIAL SENSITIVITY OF LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS TO CORTICOSTEROID TREATMENT

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  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 46  (4) , 841-848
Abstract
Corticosteroid [hydrocortisone] treatment of SJL mice produced a marked decrease in the number of viable lymphocytes obtained 48 h later from the thymus, spleen and lymph node but no change in peripheral blood. Within the residual lymphocyte population there was a fall in the relative number of splenic B cells with increasing dose. The proportion of B cells increased in the lymph nodes. The most marked change was a dose-related increase in the Lyt-2+ population in all of the lymphoid organs examined including the thymus though, in this organ alone, the lowest dose caused a pronounced reduction in the Lyt-2+ population, since most immature thymocytes are Lyt-2+. Mature thymocytes apparently have phenotypic identity with peripheral T cells. A basis for the immunosuppressive action of corticosteroids is provided.