The effect of short-term corticosteroid incubation on the alloactivating and antigen-presenting capacity of human epidermal Langerhans cells.

The effects of short-term incubation with hydrocortisone and methylprednisolone on the alloactivating capacity and the ability of human epidermal Langerhans cells and peripheral blood monocytes to induce antigen (PPD)-specific T-lymphocyte responses were investigated. The Langerhans cells and the monocytes were treated with different concentrations of the steroids before being added to allogeneic T lymphocytes, and before, after or simultaneously with, pulsing with PPD. Neither steroid inhibited the alloactivating capacity of the Langerhans cells, but a dose-dependent reduction of the stimulatory capacity of antigen-pulsed Langerhans cells and monocytes was obtained with methylprednisolone. Hydrocortisone had inhibitory effects only at high concentration. The inhibition appeared to be due to suppression of the presentation of PPD in immunogeneic form to sensitized T cells.