Oestradiol- and testosterone-mediated effects on the immune system in normal and autoimmune mice are genetically linked and inherited as dominant traits.
The influence of sex steroids on cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and antibody responses to oxazolone (OXA) in autoimmune and normal mouse strains has been investigated. The results show that: (i) treatment with 17 beta-oestradiol (E2) suppresses DTH responses and stimulates antibody responses in MRL, B6 and C3H mice, suppresses DTH in DBA/1 mice, while having no effects on DTH or antibody responses in BALB/c and NFR/N mice. (ii) Treatment with testosterone suppresses the antibody response in all studied strains (MRL, B6, BALB/c and DBA/1) while down-regulating the DTH response only in MRL and B6 but not in BALB/c or DBA/1. (iii) Neither the lympho-proliferative (lpr) gene, which accelerates autoimmune disease, nor the H-2 genes seem to be directly related to the effects of sex hormones on the immune system. (iv) Susceptibility to oestrogen- and testosterone-mediated suppression of DTH but not oestrogen-mediated enhancement of antibody response are inherited as dominant traits. The results are discussed in the context of certain autoimmune diseases known to be influenced by sex hormone manipulations.
Carlsten
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H
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
Holmdahl
R
R
Tarkowski
A
A
Nilsson
L A
LA
D000818:Animals; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions / Q000187:drug effects; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000276:immunology*; D010081:Oxazolone / Q000276:immunology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010080:Oxazoles; D010081:Oxazolone; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol