Figure 4

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial fluid (SF) T cells become susceptible to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis upon separation from monocytes. Twenty-four-hour exposure to dexamethasone (a), triamcinolone (b), and metylprednisolone (c) of negatively isolated T cells from SF of RA patients (n = 4) increases apoptosis evaluated as Annexin V⁺ 7-AAD^- cells. Graphs demonstrate that all glucocorticoid compounds (d, e, f) induce apoptosis in isolated T cells but not in nonisolated T cells (dashed line represents nonisolated T cells and continuous line represents isolated T cells). Values are the mean ± standard error of the mean and are expressed as the ratio of Annexin V⁺ cells in the experimental cultures to those in the control cultures (fold). *P < 0.05. 7-AAD = 7-amino-actinomycin D; AnnV, Annexin V.