Lemercier C, Julen N, Coulpier M, Dauchel H, Ozanne D, Fontaine M, Ripoche J
INSERM Unité 78, Bois-Guillaume, France.
Eur J Immunol. 1992 Apr;22(4):909-15. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830220405.
The effect of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DXM) on the secretion by human monocytes of alternative complement proteins C3, factor B and factor H was investigated. Results indicated that DXM modulates this secretion in a direction which would be consistent with its anti-inflammatory properties. DXM, at therapeutic concentrations, had a suppressive effect on C3 and factor B secretion and a stimulatory effect on factor H secretion by monocytes. This differential modulation on C3, factor B and factor H secretion was similar in mature macrophages. Together with previous studies showing that DXM had a suppressive effect on C3 and factor B secretion and a stimulatory effect on factor H secretion by human endothelial cells, our results indicate that DXM appears to have the general property of regulating local production of complement components so as to control complement activation.
