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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Rapid Quantification of Mitogen-induced Blastogenesis in T Lymphocytes for Identifying Immunomodulatory Drugs
Published on: December 27, 2016
FK506 potentiates steroid-induced T-cell apoptosis
1First Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Sakamoto, Japan. e.g.uchi@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Background:
FK506 and glucocorticoids are used for allograft rejection, graft-versus-host disease, and autoimmune diseases.
Materials:
We investigated the combined effect of FK506 and glucocorticoids on T-cell apoptosis.
Results:
Dexamethasone injection in mice reduced the number of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes by increasing DNA fragmentation. Pretreatment with FK506 significantly augmented thymocyte DNA fragmentation induced by dexamethasone injection. Increased thymic apoptosis resulted in the disappearance of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes after FK506/dexamethasone injection. In addition to thymocytes, mature human peripheral blood T cells undergo apoptosis by exposure to dexamethasone in vitro. FK506 synergistically enhanced dexamethasone-mediated apoptosis of human peripheral blood T cells.
Conclusions:
Thus, our results showed that FK506 enhanced dexamethasone-induced apoptosis of T cells in vivo and in vitro. This interaction may enhance the therapeutic immunosuppression achieved by these two drugs.
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