Skip to main content
PMC home page
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1995 Mar;50(3):270–274. doi: 10.1136/thx.50.3.270

Comparative study of the effects of different glucocorticosteroids on eosinophil survival primed by cultured epithelial cell supernatants obtained from nasal mucosa and nasal polyps.

J Mullol 1, A Xaubet 1, E López 1, J Roca-Ferrer 1, C Picado 1
PMCID: PMC1021191  PMID: 7660341

Abstract

BACKGROUND--Supernatants from epithelial cell cultures enhance eosinophil survival in vitro, this effect being abrogated by previous incubation of eosinophils with glucocorticosteroids. This property has resulted in the development of an in vitro test to compare the potency of these drugs. A comparative study was performed with dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, deflazacort, and budesonide. METHODS--Human epithelial cell conditioned media (HECM) was generated from cultured epithelial cells obtained from healthy nasal mucosa and polyps. Eosinophils isolated from the peripheral blood were incubated with different corticosteroids for one hour before the addition of HECM. The inhibitory potency of the four steroids on the eosinophil survival index was compared using the concentration of steroid causing 50% inhibition (IC50). RESULTS--Eosinophil survival was increased by HECM from both healthy nasal mucosa and polyps. All four steroids blocked HECM-induced eosinophil survival in a dose-dependent manner. On healthy nasal mucosa methylprednisolone was the least potent (IC50 = 536 nM), deflazacort (IC50 = 264 nM) was twice as potent as methylprednisolone, while budesonide and dexamethasone were approximately nine times as potent (both IC50 = 58 nM). When potency was evaluated on the promoting effects of the HECM obtained from nasal polyps, the inhibitory potencies were lower and consequently the IC50 values were higher when compared with HECM generated from healthy nasal mucosa: methylprednisolone (IC50 = 546 nM), deflazacort (IC50 = 390 nM), dexamethasone (IC50 = 76 nM), and budesonide (IC50 = 78 nM). CONCLUSIONS--The potencies of glucocorticosteroids can be compared by evaluating their effects on the survival of eosinophils previously primed by supernatants obtained from epithelial cell culture. The different effects of steroids on eosinophils primed by HECM obtained from healthy nasal mucosa compared with HECM obtained from nasal polyps suggest that polyps might represent more active tissue which is relatively resistant to treatment with corticosteroids.

Full text

PDF
274

Images in this article

272Image
on p.272

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Avioli L. V. Potency ratio--a brief synopsis. Br J Rheumatol. 1993 May;32 (Suppl 2):24–26. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/32.suppl_2.24. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baran D. A comparison of inhaled budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate in childhood asthma. Br J Dis Chest. 1987 Apr;81(2):170–175. doi: 10.1016/0007-0971(87)90135-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bergstrand H., Björnsson A., Lundquist B., Nilsson A., Brattsand R. Inhibitory effect of glucocorticosteroids on anti-IgE-induced histamine release from human basophilic leukocytes: evidence for a dual mechanism of action. Allergy. 1984 Apr;39(3):217–230. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1984.tb02627.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bruno A., Cavallo-Perin P., Cassader M., Pagano G. Deflazacort vs prednisone. Effect on blood glucose control in insulin-treated diabetics. Arch Intern Med. 1987 Apr;147(4):679–680. doi: 10.1001/archinte.147.4.679. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cox G., Ohtoshi T., Vancheri C., Denburg J. A., Dolovich J., Gauldie J., Jordana M. Promotion of eosinophil survival by human bronchial epithelial cells and its modulation by steroids. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1991 Jun;4(6):525–531. doi: 10.1165/ajrcmb/4.6.525. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Djukanović R., Roche W. R., Wilson J. W., Beasley C. R., Twentyman O. P., Howarth R. H., Holgate S. T. Mucosal inflammation in asthma. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1990 Aug;142(2):434–457. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm/142.2.434. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gennari C., Imbimbo B. Effects of prednisone and deflazacort on vertebral bone mass. Calcif Tissue Int. 1985 Dec;37(6):592–593. doi: 10.1007/BF02554912. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gennari C., Imbimbo B., Montagnani M., Bernini M., Nardi P., Avioli L. V. Effects of prednisone and deflazacort on mineral metabolism and parathyroid hormone activity in humans. Calcif Tissue Int. 1984 May;36(3):245–252. doi: 10.1007/BF02405325. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Place V. A., Velazquez J. G., Burdick K. H. Precise evaluation of topically applied corticosteroid potency. Modification of the Stoughton-McKenzie assay. Arch Dermatol. 1970 May;101(5):531–537. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Springer C., Avital A., Maayan C., Rosler A., Godfrey S. Comparison of budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate for treatment of asthma. Arch Dis Child. 1987 Aug;62(8):815–819. doi: 10.1136/adc.62.8.815. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Xaubet A., Mullol J., López E., Roca-Ferrer J., Rozman M., Carrión T., Fabra J. M., Picado C. Comparison of the role of nasal polyp and normal nasal mucosal epithelial cells on in vitro eosinophil survival. Mediation by GM-CSF and inhibition by dexamethasone. Clin Exp Allergy. 1994 Apr;24(4):307–317. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb00240.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Xaubet A., Mullol J., López E., Roca-Ferrer J., Rozman M., Carrión T., Fabra J. M., Picado C. Comparison of the role of nasal polyp and normal nasal mucosal epithelial cells on in vitro eosinophil survival. Mediation by GM-CSF and inhibition by dexamethasone. Clin Exp Allergy. 1994 Apr;24(4):307–317. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb00240.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES