Effect of phytohemagglutinin on concentrations of glucocorticoid receptors in lymphocytes from patients with connective tissue diseases.

We examined the effect of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on glucocorticoid receptors in lymphocytes, using peripheral mononuclear leukocytes from patients with connective tissue diseases. Glucocorticoid receptor concentrations and dissociation constants (Kd) for [3H]dexamethasone binding to lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and other connective tissue diseases did not differ significantly from values for normal volunteers. Kd values correlated positively with glucocorticoid receptor concentrations after PHA stimulation both in normal volunteers and in patients with connective tissue diseases. The correlations (r values) for the control group and patients were not significantly different.