Vitamin A does not alter immunosuppressive properties of simultaneously administered steroids

The use of immunosuppressive steroids in transplant patients is associated with complications of wound healing and increased peptic ulceration. Vitamin A is known to reverse ill effects of steroids on wound healing and peptic ulcerogenesis; however, its effects on the immunologic properties of steroids are less well defined. The effect of vitamin A on steroid-induced immunosuppression was assessed through first and second set skin graft rejection, mixed lymphocyte culture reaction, and humoral antibody response to sheep erythrocytes. Results show tha vitamin A does not affect in vivo immunosuppression, although in vitro studies yield a conflicting result.