Hormonal modulation of sex differences in resistance to Leishmania major systemic infections.
Differences in susceptibility to intravenously inoculated Leishmania major were observed in male and female mice of the BALB/cAnPt, DBA/2N, and DBA/2J strains and (BALB/cAnPt x DBA/2N)F1 hybrids. In all cases, males had significantly higher liver parasite burdens than females. Orchidectomy of BALB/c males resulted in a 20% decrease in the number of parasites in the liver compared with either normal or sham-gonadectomized controls. Additionally, testosterone treatment of female BALB/c mice resulted in an 88% increase in the number of liver amastigotes. These results suggest that the hormone testosterone can modulate systemic L. major infections in BALB/c mice.
Mock
B A
BA
Laboratory of Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Nacy
C A
CA
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007895:Leishmania tropica; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009919:Orchiectomy; D012737:Sex Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013739:Testosterone