Key result
Glucocorticoids regulate endothelial adhesion molecules, cytokine production, and vascular barrier integrity in inflammatory diseases.
The endothelium plays a crucial role in inflammation. A balanced control of inflammation requires the action of glucocorticoids (GCs), steroidal hormones with potent cell-specific anti-inflammatory properties. Besides the classic anti-inflammatory effects of GCs on leukocytes, recent studies confirm that endothelial cells also represent an important target for GCs. GCs regulate different aspects of endothelial physiology including expression of adhesion molecules, production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and maintenance of endothelial barrier integrity. However, the regulation of endothelial GC sensitivity remains incompletely understood. In this review, we specifically examine the endothelial response to GCs in various inflammatory diseases ranging from multiple sclerosis, stroke, sepsis, and vasculitis to atherosclerosis. Shedding more light on the cross talk between GCs and endothelium will help to improve existing therapeutic strategies and develop new therapies better tailored to the needs of patients.
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Zielińska et al. (2016) conducted a review in Inflammatory diseases (multiple sclerosis, stroke, sepsis, vasculitis, atherosclerosis). Glucocorticoids was evaluated. Glucocorticoids regulate endothelial physiology, including adhesion molecule expression, cytokine production, and barrier integrity, across various inflammatory diseases.