Fig. 2

A comparison of prednisolone- and dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in a Th2 cell line (CCRF-CEM). Data are expressed as percentage of 7AAD⁺ cells (a) identifying dead cells. The half maximal dose (EC₅₀) for prednisolone and dexamethasone required to induce necrosis of cells (b). Percentage of Annexin V⁺ 7AAD⁻ cells, identifying apoptotic cells (c). A comparison of the EC₅₀ values for prednisolone and dexamethasone required to reach 50% maximal induction of apoptosis in cells (d; n = 11). Percentage of Annexin V⁺ 7AAD⁻ primary Th2 cells following treatment with dexamethasone, exhibiting a similar plateau effect as CCRF-CEM at 0.5 μM dexamethasone (e; n = 3). Comparison of CS-induced apoptosis in CCRF-CEM as fold-difference over vehicle (f). Data represent mean and standard error. Pred, prednisolone; Dex, dexamethasone. *p < 0.05 determined by two-way (a & c), t-test (b & e) or one-way RM ANOVA (g)