Question

Glucocorticoids can suppress the immune response. These steroids affect the development of the manifestations of the inflammatory response whether the inciting agent is radiant, mechanical, chemical, infectious, or immunological. They are useful in treating diseases that result from undesirable immune reactions from urticaria to autoimmune disease to transplant rejection. What do therapeutic doses of glucocorticoids do?

Decrease the concentration of circulating antibodies by reducing the expression of CD19 and CD20 antigens
Prevent the initial interaction of antigen with B cells by down-regulating cell surface CD5
Inhibit the assembly of antigen peptide-MHC complexes on the surface of antigen-presenting cells
Block transcription of early T cell activation genes, such as the one for CD40, required for T cell proliferation
Inhibit the elaboration and action of local mediators such as lymphokines and prostaglandins

Answer 1

Therapeutic doses of glucocorticoids reduce inflammation and undesirable immune responses by inhibiting antigen presentation, T cell activation, and local mediators, but can also lower infection resistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

Therapeutic doses of glucocorticoids are administered to suppress undesirable immune responses by inhibiting the immune system. This is done through several mechanisms such as: preventing the assembly of antigen peptide-MHC complexes on the surface of antigen-presenting cells, blocking transcription of early T cell activation genes necessary for T cell proliferation, and inhibiting the action of local mediators like lymphokines and prostaglandins. While glucocorticoids such as cortisol, corticosterone, and cortisone help in managing autoimmune diseases by reducing inflammation, they also present the drawback of reduced resistance to infection.