Effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on maturation and functional properties of interferon-alpha-induced...

We studied the effect of adrenal cortex hormone dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on maturation and functional activity of interferon-alpha-induced dendritic cells. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate stimulated differentiation and maturation of interferon-alpha-induced dendritic cell, which manifested in a decrease in the number of CD14(+)cells and increase in the ratio of mature CD83(+)dendritic cells expressing costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86). The induction of dendritic cell differentiation after treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was accompanied by an increase in the production of interferon-gamma. At the stage of dendritic cell maturation, the effect of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate manifested in a 4-fold increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha production. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate had little effect on the production of Th2/antiinflammatory cytokines at the stages of differentiation and maturation of interferon-alpha-induced dendritic cells. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate increased the ability of dendritic cells to stimulate Th1 cytokine production by T cells (interferon-gamma). This hormone had no effect on the ability of interferon-alpha-induced dendritic cells to activate CD3(+)IL-4(+)T cells in mixed lymphocyte culture.