Sk. Agarwal et Gd. Marshall, Role of CD28/B7 costimulation in the dexamethasone-induced suppression of IFN-gamma, J INTERF CY, 20(11), 2000, pp. 927-934
In vitro exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to glucocort
icoids (GC), at concentrations observed during psychologic stress, induces
a shift in the human type 1/type 2 cytokine balance toward a type 2 cytokin
e response. The mechanisms involved in these cytokine alterations are unkno
wn but likely include modulation of regulatory cytokines or the interaction
between the antigen-presenting cell (APC) and T lymphocyte or both. The CD
28/B7 costimulation pathway has been reported to modulate the type 1/type 2
cytokine balance and may contribute to the GC-associated cytokine alterati
ons. Therefore, we sought to determine the effect of dexamethasone (Dex) on
the expression and function of the human CD28/B7 costimulatory pathway and
whether these alterations contribute to the Dex-induced type 1/type 2 cyto
kine alterations. Dex inhibited the expression of both CD80 and CD86 on THP
-1 cells, a human acute monocytic leukemia cell line, as determined by flow
cytometry. Dex also inhibited the expression of CD28 and CTLA-4 on phytohe
magglutinin (PHA)-stimulated CD3(+) T lymphocytes, which was attenuated by
the addition of interleukin-12 (IL-12). Lastly, activation of CD28 with ant
i-CD28 antibody attenuated the Dex-induced decrease in interferon-gamma (IF
N-gamma) production by anti-CD3 antibody-stimulated PBMC. These data sugges
t that Dex induces a modulation of the CD28/B7 costimulatory pathway that c
ontributes to the shift in the type 1/type 2 cytokine balance toward a pred
ominant type 2 cytokine response.