A difference between human B and T lymphocytes regarding their capacity to metabolize cortisol.

Abstract Since T lymphocytes are more sensitive than B lymphocytes to Cortisol treatment, the cortisol metabolism in these two cell groups was measured and compared. Known concentrations of human T and B lymphocytes were incubated with [1,2- 3 H]-cortisol and the products isolated by thin layer chromatography and paper chromatography. Cells from the B lymphocytes group were found more active than those from the T cells, whereas the distribution of the cortisol metabolites showed no significant difference between the groups. These findings suggest that the higher resistance to cortisol of B cells compared with that of T cells, are due to the relatively higher metabolism of cortisol by B lymphocytes and that this may act as defence mechanism against the hormone.