ISSN:
1573-4919
Keywords:
glucocorticoid hormones
;
T lymphocytes
;
T-cell receptor
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Glucocorticoid hormones (GCH) are anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents that inhibit T-cell growth and activation. Since the T-cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex mediates T-lymphocyte activation, we studied the effect of in vitro dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic GCH, on TCR/CD3 expression. DEX-treatment of a hybridoma T-cell line and normal un-transformed T-cell clones induced a decrease of the TCR/CD3 membrane expression after 4 days. After 4 weeks, TCR/CD3 was undetectable. However, the amount of mRNAs coding TCR/CD3 chains, including TCRα, TCRβ, CD3γ, CD3δ and CD3ε, as well as the amount of CD3ε protein, a major component of the complex, were unaltered. By contrast, a decrease of the mRNAs deriving from the TCRζ gene locus, as well as of the TCRζ protein which is responsible for the membrane expression of the TCR/CD3 complex, was induced. These data suggest that the down-modulation of TCR expression is due to the diminution of TCRζ gene products in DEX-treated cells. (Mol Cell Biochem 167: 135-144, 1997)
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1006829421509
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