title: The effect of estradiol on human myelomonocytic cells. 1. Enhancement of colony formation.
abstract: Cyclic changes were observed in the content of blood monocytes during the menstrual cycle of normal women. Elevated blood monocytes were found during the ovulation period as well as in other conditions which are associated with increased blood estradiol (E2). To understand the possible association between E2 and monocytosis, we analysed the in vitro effect of E2 on the development of myelomonocytic colonies in culture. E2 in physiological concentrations was found to increase the number of colonies developed from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) of both females and males. The optimal concentration for the augmenting effect on males' PBM was lower than that for females. Mononuclear cells derived from cord blood, which yielded much higher numbers of colonies than adult PBM, also responded to the stimulatory effect of E2. Estrone and estriol were less effective than E2 in adult PBM. In contrast, progesterone, diethylstilbestrol and testosterone did not affect the number of colonies at the range of physiological concentrations tested. The anti-estrogen Tamoxifen did not inhibit the stimulatory effect of E2. The augmenting effect of E2 on monomyelocytic colony formation may explain at least in part the increase in blood monocyte content of women with high E2 as well as other phenomena of macrophage and granulocyte changes associated with the menstrual cycle.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000187:drug effects; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008598:Menstruation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D013629:Tamoxifen; D004958:Estradiol