Effect of methylprednisolone on some BCG-mediated changes in rabbit alveolar macrophage.

The effect of methylprednisolone sodium succinate treatment on Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunization was examined in alveolar macrophages of New Zealand White rabbits. Intravenous BCG injection caused a marked increase in cell number and in the hexosemonophosphate shunt activity. There was also a selective augmentation in the activity of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase and an increase in lysosomal density. Activity of the lysosomal phospholipases was decreased. Steroid treatment suppressed the BCG-induced increase in cell number, hexosemonophosphate shunt activity, acid phosphatase, and beta-glucuronidase, and prevented the increase in lysosomal density. On the other hand, steroid treatment increased the activity of the phospholipases to levels higher than either control values or those obtained with cells from BCG-treated rabbits.