Oestrogen induced suppression of collagen arthritis. IV: Progesterone alone does not affect the course of arthritis but enhances the oestrogen-mediated therapeutic effect.
The effects of 17 beta-oestradiol and progesterone on the development of type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and the anti-type II collagen (CII) autoantibody response were investigated. Treatment with physiological doses of 17 beta-oestradiol, inducing serum levels below the estradiol peak at the end of pregnancy, abrogated the development of arthritis and suppressed the anti-CII autoantibody response. Treatment with progesterone alone did not have significant effects on the development of arthritis or on the anti-CII autoantibody response. However, a combined treatment with both progesterone and oestrogen in physiological doses induced a more pronounced suppression of CIA than the suppression induced with oestrogen treatment alone. These findings suggest that oestrogen, but not progesterone, may be the critical factor to explain the pregnancy-related down-regulation of CIA.
Dept. of Medical and Physiological Chemistry, Uppsala University, Sweden.
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Holmdahl
D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000633:toxicity; D004195:Disease Models, Animal / Q000276:immunology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D003094:Collagen