[Corticosteroids and inflammation]

Corticoids are molecules which the organism synthesizes to regulate a large number of immune and metabolic physiological mechanisms. The compounds used as therapeutic agents have at higher doses very useful anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Corticoids have most original mechanisms of action which are essentially genomic (transcriptional) and characterized by activation (transactivation) or inhibition (transrepression) of numerous target genes. These molecules act in many cells involved in innate immunity (macrophages, granulocytes, mastocytes) and adaptive immunity (lymphocytes) but also in other cells (fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells). The anti-inflammatory efficacy of corticoids may be explained by their inhibition of the synthesis of numerous cytokines, enzymes and mediators of inflammation or induction of cytokines and anti-inflammatory molecules (lipocortin). Corticoids also regulate cellular activation and survival processes (apoptosis), which explains their cytostatic efficacy in certain malignant hematological disorders.