We present evidence that dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticosteroid, causes apoptosis in mature human T cells, similarly to what has been reported for murine T lymphocytes. Human T cell clones and short-term activated T lymphocytes treated with Dex show the characteristic pattern of apoptotic cells, such as hypodiploid nuclei, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomal fragments. However, Dex susceptibility of T cells to apoptosis is cell cycle-dependent. The progression in the proliferative cell cycle (G1 versus S) rescues Dex-treated T cells from apoptosis. Moreover, occupancy of the T cell receptor reverses Dex-induced apoptotic phenomena. These observations suggest that glucocorticoids contribute to the regulation of the proliferative or the suicidal response of antigen-activated human T cells.
Analysis of susceptibility of mature human T lymphocytes to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis / Tuosto, L.; Cundari, E.; GILARDINI MONTANI, M. S.; Piccolella, E.. - In: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY. - ISSN 0014-2980. - STAMPA. - 24:5(1994), pp. 1061-1065. [10.1002/eji.1830240508]
Analysis of susceptibility of mature human T lymphocytes to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis.
L. TUOSTO;M. S. GILARDINI MONTANI;E. PICCOLELLA
1994
Abstract
We present evidence that dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticosteroid, causes apoptosis in mature human T cells, similarly to what has been reported for murine T lymphocytes. Human T cell clones and short-term activated T lymphocytes treated with Dex show the characteristic pattern of apoptotic cells, such as hypodiploid nuclei, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomal fragments. However, Dex susceptibility of T cells to apoptosis is cell cycle-dependent. The progression in the proliferative cell cycle (G1 versus S) rescues Dex-treated T cells from apoptosis. Moreover, occupancy of the T cell receptor reverses Dex-induced apoptotic phenomena. These observations suggest that glucocorticoids contribute to the regulation of the proliferative or the suicidal response of antigen-activated human T cells.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.