NCIt definition : A synthetic glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties.
Like other glucocorticoids, diflorasone enters the cell by diffusion across the cell
membrane and binds to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the cytoplasm. The receptor
complex subsequently translocates to the nucleus and activates or represses genes
by interacting with short, palindromic DNA sequences called glucocorticoid response
element (GRE). Gene activation leads to the exertion of anti-inflammatory effects,
e.g. upregulation of IkappaB, while gene repression inhibits production of pro-inflammatory
cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-2 and IL-6, thereby preventing activation
of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.;