Analysis of the suppression of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta production in human peripheral blood mononuclear adherent cells by a glucocorticoid hormone.

The suppression of IL-1 production in human adherent PBMC by a glucocorticoid hormone was studied. From 10(-5) to 10(-8) M glucocorticoid hormone (prednisolone) inhibited both IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta production by LPS-stimulated adherent human PBMC in a dose-dependent fashion, as assayed by Western blotting of cell-associated IL-1 and a thymocyte comitogenic bioassay. IL-1 alpha and -beta mRNA levels were concomitantly suppressed by glucocorticoid treatment, as determined by Northern blotting analysis. These data suggest that the suppression of IL-1 activity by glucocorticoids is consistently associated with decreased levels of IL-1 proteins and mRNA expression and therefore presumably regulated at the transcriptional level.