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In vivo and in vitro effects of glucocorticoids on lectin-induced blastogenesis in atopic dermatitis

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Summary

The effects of glucocorticoids administered in vivo and in vitro on lectin-induced proliferation of lymphocytes sampled from venous blood were investigated in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and in normal controls. Stimulation by concanavalin A (Con A), phytohaemagglutinin A (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) in patients and controls did not differ significantly under base-line conditions. After in vivo administration of methylprednisolone the decline of Con A-induced blastogenesis of leucocytes was similar in both groups, whereas PHA stimulation caused a significant reduction in the controls only. In vitro addition of different dexamethasone concentrations had a pronounced suppressive effect on Con A- and PHA-induced blastogenesis in both groups, whereas PWM stimulation was unaffected. Pretreatment in vivo with methylprednisolone further decreased the suppression of the Con A and PHA lymphocyte proliferation rate by dexamethasone added in vitro in controls but not in patients. With regard to B-cell proliferation generated by PWM, no consistent glucocorticoid effect could be observed. The impaired effect on lymphocyte blastogenesis of glucocorticoids administered in vivo, in contrast to a normal in vitro reaction to dexamethasone, together with recent findings of an altered glucocorticoid receptor pharmacology in AD, points to a decreased biological in vivo efficiency of methylprednisolone in atopic dermatitis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Hartmannstrasse 14, W-8520, Erlangen, Federal Republic of Germany

    M. Rupprecht, H. U. Koch & O. P. Hornstein

  2. Max Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, FRG

    R. Rupprecht

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, FRG

    N. Wodarz, H. U. Braner, J. Kornhuber & P. Riederer

Authors
  1. M. Rupprecht
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  2. R. Rupprecht
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  3. N. Wodarz
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  4. H. U. Braner
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  5. J. Kornhuber
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  6. H. U. Koch
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  7. P. Riederer
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  8. O. P. Hornstein
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Rupprecht, M., Rupprecht, R., Wodarz, N. et al. In vivo and in vitro effects of glucocorticoids on lectin-induced blastogenesis in atopic dermatitis. Arch Dermatol Res 283, 292–296 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376616

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00376616

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