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PubMed · 9206099

Steroid-resistant asthma immunologic characteristics.

Y Sun·W Luo
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether persistent T lymphocyte activation is a feature of steroid-resistant (SR) asthma and to study the inhibitory effects of dexamethasone and other immuno-inhibiting agents on PHA-induced proliferation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes from SR and steroid-sensitive (SS) asthmatics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 15 SR and 15 SS asthmatics were studied. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were measured before and after prednisone therapy by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PHA-driven proliferative assay was performed to evaluate inhibition of T lymphocyte proliferation. RESULTS: Serum levels of sIL-2R were elevated in both patients with SR and SS asthma as compared with normal controls (P < 0.001). After a 7-day course of prednisone (20 mg/day), serum levels of sIL-2R decreased significantly in SS asthmatics (P < 0.001) but not in SR asthmatics (P > 0.1). Proliferation of T lymphocytes from the sensitive but not the resistant asthmatics was significantly (P < 0.002) inhibited by dexamethasone (10 mol/L), reflecting a shift of the dose-response curve. In contrast, oxymatrine and thymus-derived immunosuppressors inhibited proliferation of T lymphocytes to a similar degree between SR and SS asthmatics. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that persistent T lymphocyte activation due to a relative insensitivity of the cells to glucocorticoids is a feature of SR asthma. Immuno-inhibiting agents other than glucocorticoids may be of therapeutic benefit in patients with SR asthma.

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AdultAsthmaDexamethasoneDrug ResistanceFemaleHumansLymphocyte ActivationMaleMiddle AgedPrednisoneReceptors, Interleukin-2T-LymphocytesJournal Article

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Y Sun, W Luo. 1996. Steroid-resistant asthma immunologic characteristics.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9206099/

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