Sex hormones as immunomodulators in health and disease

[Guest guest]

Wonder if this relates to regression during puberty some kids experience ­

simply hormones as triggers/reactivators of infections...

Int Immunopharmacol. 2001 Jun;1(6):983-93.

Sex hormones as immunomodulators in health and disease.

Verthelyi D. Retroviral Immunology Section, Center for Biologics

Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Building 29A, Rm 3 D

2, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Verthelyi@...

In addition to their effects on sexual differentiation and reproduction,

sex hormones influence the immune system. This results in a gender

dimorphism in the immune function with females having higher immunoglobulin

levels and mounting stronger immune responses following immunization or

infection than males. The greater immune responsiveness in females is also

evident in their increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. However, a

clear understanding of the myriad of effects that sex hormones have on the

immune system is lacking. Studies in normal mice show that estrogen

treatment induces polyclonal B cell activation with increased expression of

autoantibodies characteristic of autoimmune diseases. Several mechanisms

appear to contribute to the break in tolerance and the increase in plasma

cell activity including a reduction of the mass of the bone marrow and the

thymus, the emergence of sites of extramedullary hematopoiesis and altered

susceptibility of B cells to cell death. In addition, sex hormone levels in

both humans and experimental models correlated with the activity of their

cytokine-secreting cells indicating that sex hormones influence the cytokine

milieu and suggesting that altered sex hormonal levels in autoimmune

patients contribute to the skewed cytokine milieu characteristic of systemic

lupus erythematosus (SLE). While sex hormones alone do not cause autoimmune

disease, abnormal hormone levels may provide the stage for other factors

(genetic, infectious) to trigger disease. Understanding the physiology of

the interaction between sex hormones and immune function and its potential

pathological consequences may provide insight into the autoimmune diseases

and new directions for their treatment.

Publication Types:

* Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

* Review

PMID: 11407317 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Guest guest]

I think that rheumatologists have known this for a while. It seems that

autoimmune condition are often either manifest themselves or go into remission

around puberty/pregnancy and menopause in women....

-------------- Original message --------------

From: Neno/Natasa <neno@...>

Wonder if this relates to regression during puberty some kids experience ­

simply hormones as triggers/reactivators of infections...

Int Immunopharmacol. 2001 Jun;1(6):983-93.

Sex hormones as immunomodulators in health and disease.

Verthelyi D. Retroviral Immunology Section, Center for Biologics

Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Building 29A, Rm 3 D

2, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Verthelyi@...

In addition to their effects on sexual differentiation and reproduction,

sex hormones influence the immune system. This results in a gender

dimorphism in the immune function with females having higher immunoglobulin

levels and mounting stronger immune responses following immunization or

infection than males. The greater immune responsiveness in females is also

evident in their increased susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. However, a

clear understanding of the myriad of effects that sex hormones have on the

immune system is lacking. Studies in normal mice show that estrogen

treatment induces polyclonal B cell activation with increased expression of

autoantibodies characteristic of autoimmune diseases. Several mechanisms

appear to contribute to the break in tolerance and the increase in plasma

cell activity including a reduction of the mass of the bone marrow and the

thymus, the emergence of sites of extramedullary hematopoiesis and altered

susceptibility of B cells to cell death. In addition, sex hormone levels in

both humans and experimental models correlated with the activity of their

cytokine-secreting cells indicating that sex hormones influence the cytokine

milieu and suggesting that altered sex hormonal levels in autoimmune

patients contribute to the skewed cytokine milieu characteristic of systemic

lupus erythematosus (SLE). While sex hormones alone do not cause autoimmune

disease, abnormal hormone levels may provide the stage for other factors

(genetic, infectious) to trigger disease. Understanding the physiology of

the interaction between sex hormones and immune function and its potential

pathological consequences may provide insight into the autoimmune diseases

and new directions for their treatment.

Publication Types:

* Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

* Review

PMID: 11407317 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]