Dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in patients with Addison's disease has a bimodal effect on regulatory (CD4+CD25hi and CD4+FoxP3+) T cells.

Abstract

Oral replacement of the near-total deficiency of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in patients with Addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency) enhances mood and well-being and reduces fatigue. We studied the immunological effects of 12 wk of oral DHEA treatment in ten patients with Addison's disease receiving their normal mineralo- and glucocorticoid hormone replacement. We found that baseline circulating regulatory T cells were reduced in Addison's disease patients compared to controls, a hitherto unrecognised defect in this disorder. Oral DHEA treatment had a bimodal effect on naturally occurring regulatory (CD4+CD25hiFoxP3+) T cells and lymphocyte FoxP3 expression. Oral DHEA replacement restored normal levels of regulatory T cells and led to increased FoxP3 expression. These effects were probably responsible for a suppression of constitutive cytokine expression following DHEA withdrawal. In contrast, oral DHEA treatment led to reduced FoxP3 expression induced by TCR engagement and so augmented the cytokine response, but without a bias towards the Th1 or Th2 phenotype. NK and NKT cell numbers fell during DHEA treatment, and homeostatic lymphocyte proliferation was increased. We conclude that DHEA replacement in Addison's disease has significant immunomodulatory properties and propose that it has a greater impact on the human immune system than would be expected from its classification as a dietary supplement.

• Authors: Alasdair J Coles, Sara Thompson, Amanda L Cox, Suzanne Curran, Elli M Gurnell, V Krishna Chatterjee
• Journal: European journal of immunology (Eur J Immunol) Vol. 35 Issue 12 Pg. 3694-703 (Dec 2005) ISSN: 0014-2980 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 16252254 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Adjuvants, Immunologic
• Cytokines
• FOXP3 protein, human
• Forkhead Transcription Factors
• Receptors, Interleukin-2
• Dehydroepiandrosterone

Topics

• Addison Disease (drug therapy, immunology)
• Adjuvants, Immunologic (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Administration, Oral
• Adult
• CD4 Lymphocyte Count
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured
• Cytokines (antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis)
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Forkhead Transcription Factors (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Humans
• Immunophenotyping
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear (drug effects, immunology)
• Lymphocyte Activation (drug effects)
• Male
• Receptors, Interleukin-2 (biosynthesis)
• T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory (drug effects, immunology, metabolism)