Influence of methylprednisolone on complement activity in germfree rats and on antibody activity to Escherichia coli in monocontaminated rats.

By means of radio-isotope technique, the influence of methylprednisolone treatment on opsonic and bactericidal serum activities against E. coli was studied on germfree and monocontaminated rats. Based on the present results it seems unlikely that methylprednisolone impairs the production of complement components. A slight suppression of antibody activity was only found in markedly wasted monocontaminated rats treated with very high doses of methylprednisolone from the day before contamination.