Researchers from the University of Edinburgh Medical School isolated neutrophils and incubated them at 21%, 10%, 5% and 1% oxygen. Next they added an inflammatory environment to these cells and studied the effects of anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid drugs on the neutrophils. They found that Dexamethasone (an anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid) promoted neutrophil survival at 21%, 10% and 5% but not at 1% oxygen. This means that at areas with less oxygen profusion react differently to the same drug. They believe that the one size fits all mentality to anti-inflammatory drugs may be "overly simplistic". They believe this is the mechanism behind patients differing responses to the same anti-inflammatory drugs. This could make the treatment of conditions like COPD and asthma different from rheumatoid arthritis because of the oxygen levels present. The studies authors hope that further research into this area could bring more targeted anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer side effects.
References:
http://www.jleukbio.org/content/94/6/1285.full.pdf+html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131202121536.htm
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