|
pubmed:abstractText |
The efficacy of glucocorticoids in the treatment of multiple sclerosis may involve the induction of T cell apoptosis. Here, we report that glucocorticoids have two different effects on the vulnerability of human antigen-specific T cells: (i) steroids induce T cell apoptosis in a CD95-independent, but caspase-dependent manner; (ii) steroids protect T cells from CD95-mediated apoptosis which, however, is also caspase-dependent. An increase in BCL-2 expression is observed upon incubation with steroids. Thus, inhibition of CD95-mediated T cell apoptosis may be an undesirable side-effect resulting in survival of activated T cells and the maintenance of pathogenic immune responses might explain the lack of long-term glucocorticoid therapy.
|
|
pubmed:affiliation |
Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroimmunology, University Hospital Charité, Campus Mitte, NWFZ, Geb. 2680, R.04023, Schumann strasse 20-21, 10117, Berlin, Germany. frauke.zipp@charite.de
|
