ADRENAL STEROIDS AND INFECTION: THE EFFECT OF CORTISONE ADMINISTRATION ON POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTIC FUNCTIONS AND ON SERUM OPSONINS AND BACTERICIDINS*

Abstract

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes collected from rabbits given large doses of cortisone exhibit normal capacity to engulf and kill certain staphylococci and enteric bacteria. The general morphology and degranulation response to phagocytosis of these cells are not detectably different from those of leukocytes from normal rabbits. Granulocytes from normal and from cortisone-treated rabbits contain similar amounts of the antimicrobial agents lysozyme, phagocytin and histone. Administration of large doses of cortisone to rabbits is not associated with significant changes in opsonic or bactericidal activities of the serum.