Effect of single oral doses of prednisone and deflazacort on human lymphocyte distribution and functions. Analysis with monoclonal antibodies.

Two corticosteroids, prednisone and deflazacort, have been compared with respect to their capacity of inducing redistribution of T lymphocyte subsets, modification of expression of Ia antigens by PHA primed T cells, and inhibition of blastogenesis of T cells in autologous mixed lymphocyte reactions. Both corticosteroids were able to induce T lymphocytes depletion, increase of suppressor T cells, inhibit Ia expression upon mitogenic activation of T lymphocytes, and inhibit autologous MLRs either when non T cells or when PHA T lymphocytes were used as stimulators. We conclude that deflazacort may constitute a better glucocorticoid than prednisone for correcting the imbalance among T cells subsets, the helper T cells activity and the processes of cell-to-cell cooperation in immune diseases.