FIG 7.
DHEA reverses B. abortus downmodulation of MHC-I and II expression induced by IFN-γ. B. abortus downmodulates the IFN-γ induced expression of MHC-I and MHC-II molecules. THP-1 cells were infected with B. abortus at an MOI of 100 in the presence of IFN-γ (150 U/ml) and in the presence or not of cortisol (1 × 10−6 M), DHEA (1 × 10−8 M), or cortisol plus DHEA (1 × 10−6 M and 1 × 10−8 M, respectively) for 48 h. MHC-I (A) and MHC-II (B) expression was assessed by flow cytometry. MFI, mean fluorescence intensity. Nonspecific binding was determined using a control isotype antibody. Data are given as means ± SEM from at least 4 individual experiments. Significance of results for treated versus untreated cells: *, P < 0.1; **, P < 0.01.