title: Androstenediol (AED) prevents neuroendocrine-mediated suppression of the immune response to an influenza viral infection.
abstract: The goal of these studies was to analyze the ability of androstenediol (AED) to counter-regulate the influences of stress on anti-viral immune responses. Male C57BL/6 mice, treated with 320 mg/kg AED were infected with influenza virus and subjected to repeated cycles of restraint (RST). AED blocked RST-mediated suppression of cell recruitment to the draining lymph node, lung NK cell activity, and CD4 + T cell activation. In addition, mice treated with AED had lower pre-corticosterone levels as compared to vehicle controls and the RST-mediated elevation of corticosterone was significantly blunted by AED treatment. These data suggest that AED functions to augment anti-viral immune responses by counter-regulating glucocorticoid function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, College of Medicine and Public Health, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Padgett
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sheridan
mesh_terms: D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015114:Androstenediol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D007700:Kinetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D015114:Androstenediol; D003345:Corticosterone