Sensitivity of cytokines to DEX and HC. Cytokines were induced in whole-blood cultures with 250 ng/mL LPS in the presence of DEX (○) or HC (•). For the induction of IL-12(p70), 1,000 U/mL IFN-γ was added to the cultures. The data are expressed as a percentage ± SEM of the cytokine production in the absence of GC. The results are the means of the production of IL-12(p40) and IL-10 in whole-blood cultures of 13 different healthy donors. IL-12(p70) production is the mean of the results obtained with four different healthy donors. Cytokines were determined by ELISA in supernatants harvested after 24 hours of culture.