GC-treated cells show increased phagocytotic activity and decreased oxidative burst. (A-B) Monocytes were incubated with medium as control (Co) or with 10 nM fluticasone (GC) for 2 days in inert Teflon bags, and 1 × 106 cells were plated into multiwell plates and incubated with 1 × 107 FITC-labeled latex beads (A) or 5 × 106 opsonized and CFDA-labeld L major parasites (B) for 4 hours. The cells were harvested and subjected to flow cytometry. Uptake of labeled particles or parasites resulted in an increased mean fluorescence intensity (MFI shift) compared with cells without the addition of beads or L major. Shown are the mean MFI shifts (and SEM) of 3 independent experiments.(*P < .05, **P < .01, Student t test). (C) Monocytes were treated as described above and 1 × 104 cells/200 μL was transferred to multiwell plates. Isoluminol was added to the cultures, and the oxidative burst was initiated by the addition of 10 nM PMA (t = 0 minutes). Isoluminol chemiluminescence (light units, y-axis) was measured in PMA-treated and control cells every 2 minutes after the induction of oxidative burst (x-axis) both for GC-treated (GC) and control cells (Co). Shown are the mean and SEM of quadruplets (*P < .05, **P < .01, Student t test) of 1 of 3 independent experiments with essentially similar results.
