[Action of hydrocortisone on the cytotoxic reactions in delayed hypersensitivity to microbial antigens]

A study was made of the effect of hydrocortisone (HC) injected to animals with delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to BCG antigens on the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes and production of lympho- and macrophage toxins. The cytotoxic test with the use of sensitized lymphocytes and preparation of lympho- and macrophage toxins were performed in vitro in the presence of specific microbial antigens. It was shown that HC exerts the most intense inhibitory action on the production of macrophage toxin. High doses of the hormone also inhibited the production of lymphotoxin. At the same time the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes of the lymph nodes in DH was not inhibited by the employed doses of HC. No reduction was seen either in the sensitivity of autologous adhesive cells (macrophages) used as target cells for studying the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes.