Effect of female hormones on the production of IL-4 and IL-13 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
In this study we compared the concentrations of IL-4, IL-13, and IFN-gamma, which were produced by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the presence or absence of preincubation with beta-estradiol or progesterone both after a specific antigen challenge and without a specific antigen challenge. The concentrations of IL-4 and IL-13 from PBMC which had been preincubated with progesterone or gamma-estradiol for 18-24 h were significantly greater than those of IL-4 and IL-13 from PBMC which had been preincubated with PBS, the control. On the other hand, the concentration of IFN-gamma from PBMC was unchanged. We were able to confirm that the female hormones beta-estradiol and progesterone, at levels similar to those occurring during pregnancy, have the ability to induce production of IL-4 and IL-13 in human mononuclear cells. These results suggest that female hormones may aggravate nasal allergy symptoms during pregnancy by increasing IgE synthesis and inducing selective eosinophil infiltration.
Hamano
N
N
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Chiba University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Terada
N
N
Maesako
K
K
Hohki
G
G
Ito
T
T
Yamashita
T
T
Konno
A
A
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology
D018793:Interleukin-13; D015847:Interleukin-4; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007371:Interferon-gamma