Effect of hydrocortisone on spontaneous and mitogen-dependent activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in some vertebrates.

The effect of hydrocortisone on functional activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in different vertebrates during ontogeny was studied by the blast transformation test. Hydrocortisone in a dose of 100 mg/kg inhibited functional activities of T and B lymphocytes in vitro stimulated by mitogens. This inhibitory effect was observed in both young and adult animals. However proliferative activity of concanavalin A-dependent blood T suppressors in rats increased, especially in adult animals (by 3.5 times). Hence, hydrocortisone produced different effects on functional activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the studied species, and these effects are dose- and species-dependent.