Glucocorticoid-mediated inhibition of RANTES expression in human T lymphocytes

The chemokine RANTES has been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammatory diseases including asthma and rhinitis which are frequently treated with glucocorticoids. We observed that dexamethasone dramatically inhibited RANTES mRNA expression dose dependently in anti-CD3 activated Hut-78 T cells and human PBMCs. Inhibition of RANTES expression did not appear to be secondary to IL-2 inhibition and required binding to the intracellular glucocorticoid receptor. The down-regulation of RANTES expression by glucocorticoids in T cells may directly contribute to the efficacy of these agents in suppressing cellular infiltration and to their anti-inflammatory properties.