IMMUNOLOGICAL, ENDOCRINE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCES ON CORTISOL-INDUCED IMMUNOGLOBULIN-SYNTHESIS IN-VITRO

In the present study, the relationship between psychological variables and hydrocortisone (HC)-induced immunoglobulin (Ig) production in vit ro was investigated. Ninety-five human volunteers were selected based on their extreme (low or high) scores on a daily hassles and a symptom s questionnaire. Four groups were composed: (1) few hassles, few sympt oms; (2) many hassles, few symptoms; (3) few hassles, many symptoms; a nd (4) many hassles, many symptoms. Incubating peripheral blood mononu clear cells (PBMC) for 2 weeks with HC (concentrations ranging from 10 (-8) to 10(-6) M), resulted in a concentration-dependent rise in IgM a nd IgG secretion. In vitro IgM as well as IgG secretion were found to be related to plasma Ig levels. Plasma cortisol levels were positively associated with HC-induced IgG secretion. Furthermore, Ig secretion w as found to depend on psychological profile, indicating a differential sensitivity of PBMC to HC for the four groups.