ADRENAL-HORMONE MODULATION OF TYPE-1 AND TYPE-2 CYTOKINE PRODUCTION BY SPLEEN-CELLS - DEXAMETHASONE AND DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SUPPRESS INTERLEUKIN-2, INTERLEUKIN-4, AND INTERFERON-GAMMA PRODUCTION IN-VITRO

Our previous work has documented that physical or psychological stress can alter interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and interferon (IFN)-gamma produc tion by spleen or lymph node cells in vitro. To determine if adrenal h ormones might be mediating these stress-induced changes in type 1 and type 2 cytokines and immune effector functions, we cultured spleen cel ls in vitro with either the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DE Y) or the putative restorative hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Spleen cells were obtained from either young (5-6 weeks old) or mature (7-8 months old) BALB/c mice that mere either unimmunized or immunize d with the T cell dependent antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). W e determined that DEX suppressed production of all three cytokines exa mined. DHEA was not associated with any enhancement of cytokine produc tion.These data challenge the hypothesis that glucocorticoids can diff erentially regulate Thl-like versus Th2-like cytokine production. Furt her, they suggest that in stress paradigms in which differential regul ation of cytokine production and effector function has been observed, other neuroendocrine factors in addition to glucocorticoids must be re levant, (C) 1998 Academic Press.