Figure 2

Steroids show a combined inhibitory activity with tacrolimus and to a lesser extent with cyclosporine A. (A) Whole blood samples of healthy individuals (n = 10; 22.3 ± 3.2 years; 6 females) were stimulated with SEB in the absence (Mock) or presence of cyclosporine A (CyA, 367 ng/ml and 1111 ng/ml, respectively) or tacrolimus (Tac, 22 ng/ml and 67 ng/ml, respectively) with and without steroids (MP). Bold dots represent the means connected by lines. (B) Whole blood samples of long-term transplanted patients on cyclosporine A (n = 8; 46.2 ± 12.8 years; 2 females) and (C) on tacrolimus (n = 8; 47.3 ± 13.4 years; 2 females) were stimulated with SEB in the absence of immunosuppressive drugs (mock) or high dose methylprednisolone (MP, 1000 ng/ml), cyclosporine A (1111 ng/ml) or tacrolimus (67 ng/ml) as well as respective combinations. Low dose calcineurin inhibitors were not analyzed in addition, as blood from patients already included trough levels due to immunosuppressive drug-treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon t-test. Data are expressed as median with interquartile range.