Comparison of immunoglobulin formation in vitro by leukocytes of normal donors and steroid- and nonsteroid-treated asthmatic patients

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 77 - 85
• Main Authors: Sherman, Nancy A., Smith, Richard S., Middleton, Elliott
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01.08.1974
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aminophylline - pharmacology; Asthma - blood; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - immunology; Cyclic AMP - pharmacology; Drug Synergism; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone - pharmacology; Immunoglobulins - biosynthesis; In Vitro Techniques; Isoproterenol - pharmacology; Leukocytes - drug effects; Leukocytes - immunology; Leukocytes - metabolism; Male; Middle Aged; Steroids - therapeutic use; Stimulation, Chemical
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/0091-6749(74)90035-9

To characterize further our observed differences between asthmatic patients and normal adults with regard to lymphocyte immunoglobulin (Ig) formation in vitro, we studied the response of lymphocytes from steroid-treated asthmatic patients to hydrocortisone, isoproterenol, and aminophylline. Cells from these donors showed no response to either hydrocortisone or aminophylline, but significantly enhanced Ig formation with isoproterenol (10 −9 to 10 −6 M). Experiments with lymphocytes from nonsteroid-treated asthmatic patients showed no response to isoproterenol, but significantly enhanced Ig formation with aminophylline (10 −7 to 10 −4 M). Corresponding experiments with cells from normal adults showed significantly enhanced Ig formation with both isoproterenol (10 −9 to 10 −6 M) and aminophylline (10 −7 to 10 −5 M). To explore the possible mediation of Ig formation by cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), we studied: (1) combinations of aminophylline and isoproterenol, (2) cAMP, and (3) dibutyryl cAMP. Cells from nonsteroid-treated asthmatic patients showed significantly enhanced Ig formation with combinations of aminophylline and isoproterenol, and this enhanced Ig formation was greater than that observed with aminophylline alone. In similar experiments with cells from normal subjects, the enhanced Ig formation with the combinations was of the same magnitude as that with aminophylline alone. Cells from nonsteroid-treated asthmatic patients showed no response to cAMP. Cells from normal subjects had significantly enhanced Ig formation with two concentrations of cAMP (10 −6 and 10 −5 M) and no response to dibutyryl cAMP. Although our data do not add substantial support to the possible mediation of Ig formation by cAMP, they do demonstrate striking differences in response of lymphocytes from asthmatic patients and normal subjects.