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NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
LETTERS
including
Psychoneuroimmunology, Neuropsychopharmacology,
Reproductive Medicine, Chronobiology
and Human Ethology, ISSN 0172–780X
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NEL
Vol.24 Nos.3/4, Jun-Aug 2003
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Running
Title:
Estradiol,
Progesterone and Cytokines Production
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2003;
24:185–191
pii: NEL243403A06
PMID: 14523355
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The
effect of estradiol, but not progesterone, on the production
of cytokines in stimulated whole blood, is concentration-dependent
Khalid
Z. Matalka
Faculty
of Pharmacy and Medical Technology, University of Petra, Amman,
Jordan.
Submitted:
March 3, 2003
Accepted: March 7, 2003
Key
words:
estradiol, progesterone, TNF-a,
IFN-g, IL-10, IL-12
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of
estradiol and progesterone on interferon-g (IFN-g),
interleukin (IL)-12, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a)
productions in polyclonal activators (phytohemagglutinin+lipopolysaccharide)-stimulated
whole blood cultures.
METHODS:
Nineteen healthy males and females volunteered in the study.
Blood samples were drawn, diluted, and cultured for 24h with
different concentrations of estradiol, progesterone or hydrocortisone
and then PHA+LPS was added for another 24 h. The supernatant,
then, was harvested and assayed for IL-12 p70, IFN-g,
IL-10 and TNF-a.
RESULTS:
At preovulatory concentrations, estradiol enhanced significantly
IFN-g, IL-12 and IL-10, but not
TNF-a, production levels and reversed
the suppressive effect of hydrocortisone in PHA+LPS stimulated
whole blood. While IL-10 levels kept increasing at pregnancy
estradiol concentrations, IFN-g,
IL-12 levels and IFN-g/IL-10 ratio
decreased significantly. No effect of progesterone on IL-12
p70, IFN-g, IL-10 and TNF production
levels was observed.
CONCLUSIONS:
The present study shows that those pregnancy estradiol concentrations
(and higher) enhance the production of IL-10 and reduce IL-12,
IFN-g levels and IFN-g/IL-10
ratio in stimulated whole blood cells. Because of the known
IL-10 inhibitory actions on T helper (Th) 1 cells and monocytes/macrophages,
these high IL-10 levels keep Th2 cytokines favored during
pregnancy and may be useful in shifting Th1-mediated autoimmune
diseases towards non-pathogenic Th2 pathway.
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__________________________________________________________
Copyright © Neuroendocrinology Letters 2003
Society of Integrated Sciences
All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or ortherwise,
without prior written permission from the Editor-in-Chief.
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