Intensification by glucocorticoids of induced acute leukocytic responses in the rabbit uterus.

Sexually mature does were given cortisone acetate, hydrocortisone acetate, or 9 alpha-fluoroprednisolone by intramuscular injection for 3 days, then the uterine lumens were inoculated with Escherichia coli. The glucocorticoids doubled the number of leukocytes that migrated into the uterine lumen during the acute inflammatory response. The corticoids had similar effects in estrous, ovariectomized, and pseudopregnant rabbits. The administration of hydrocortisone acetate nearly doubled the number of polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes in the circulation within 24 hours. The high numbers of circulating PMN leukocytes were maintained over the 3 days of treatment. The increased leukocytic response to induced uterine infection was similar in magnitude to the increase in numbers of circulating PMN leukocytes; the corticoid-induced neutrophilia was probably responsible for the intensified leukocytic response to uterine infection.