Phagocytic ability monocytes

Steroids also alter important functional activities of lymphocytes and monocytes. This effect is mainly on T lymphocytes and is at least partly due to a decrease in IL-2 production. Other proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 and IL-6 are also down regulated (Barnes, 2001 Krensky et al., 2005). The effect on B lymphocytes is less prominent. Steroids also profoundly impair the function of monocytes/macrophages by significantly decreasing their phagocytic ability. Glucocorticoids also increase I B expression, thereby curtailing activation of NF-kB, which increases apoptosis of activated cells (Auphan etal., 1995). 

LL-37 has been demonstrated to affect DC differentiation from monocytes. Thus, monocytes primed with LL-37 demonstrated upregulated phagocytic capacity, and when induced to differentiate to DCs exhibited increased costimulatory molecule expression, enhanced Thl-cytokine production, and improved ability to activate Thl-polarized T-cell immunity. A subsequent investigation by Kandler et working with... 

There are three different kinds of lymphocytes that have specific functions T cells, B cells and NK cells. T cells develop in the thymus while B cells develop in the adult bone marrow. The thymus and the bone marrow are the primary lymphoid organs where lymphocytes acquire specific cell surface receptors that give them the ability to recognize antigens. NK cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes that develop in the bone marrow. The phagocytes are made up of either monocytes (macrophages) or polymorphonuclear granulocytes, which include neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils. 

Cytokine Production/Cellular Activation TNFa and IFNy mediate the induction of other cytokines (IL-1 and IL-6) and the activation of phagocytes. It has been suggested that particle-induced expression of MIP-2 and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant CKs in the rat lung are mediated at least in part by production of TNFa. TNF is involved in control of monocyte-mediated regulation of cytokine production by T cells. Preincubation of monocytes with rTNF enhanced their ability to induce IFNy production, and TNF synthesis inhibitors decreased this induction. However, Th2 cells are stimulated in the relative absence of monocyte co-stimulatory signal(s), probably IL-6. Concerning pain responsivity, TNFa produces dose-dependent hyperalgesia mediated via the induced release of IL-lp. ... 

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