The Effect of Glucocorticoids and LPS on the Functional Activity of RAW Cell Line

It is well documented that glucocorticoids are potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents that are known to affect cell mediated inflammation by the inhibition of cellular proliferation and cytokine production. The literature is lacking knowledge in elucidating the mode of action of such agents on the transformed like cells in culture. Therefore, RAW (macrophage like) cells was selected as a model to determine the effects of cortisol administration or cortisol in the presence of LPS on the cells metabolic functions. Cells were treated with physiological concentrations of cortisol or cortisol + LPS for periods of 24, 48 and 72 hours. After each phase, cell numbers, cellular damage and cellular morphology were determined. The results indicated cortisol and cortisol + LPS treated cells inhibited cellular proliferation as well as increased cellular MDA levels as early as 24 hours. Overall, the results indicate that cortisol has a remarkable effect on RAW cellular proliferation similar to the reduction seen in our previous findings using HEP-2 cells. In addition to reduction in cellular number the cell's ability to adjust to a bacterial challenge may be directly altered. These results provided important information for patients who are immunosuppressed or chronically exposed to stressful conditions.