Postmenopausal changes in serum cytokine levels and hormone replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to investigate the effect of hormone replacement therapy on the postmenopausal changes in serum cytokine levels.


METHODS
Fifteen cytokines were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 97 untreated and hormone replacement-treated women. Thirteen women were examined before and during hormone replacement therapy.


RESULTS
Serum concentrations of macrophage colony-stimulating factor were significantly (P < .05) lower during the early postmenopausal period (< or = 10 years) than the values in premenopause and the elevated levels in the late postmenopausal period (< or = 30 years). A significant increase in tumor necrosis factor alpha and a decline in transforming growth factor beta1 were found in late postmenopausal women. Serum levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor in women receiving hormone replacement therapy were significantly higher than those in untreated postmenopausal women. Furthermore, hormone replacement therapy induced a significant (P < .01) increase in serum levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor, whereas serum levels of other cytokines were not affected.


CONCLUSIONS
It is well documented that macrophage colony-stimulating factor lowers serum cholesterol concentrations and prevents atherosclerosis. Inducing the production of macrophage colony-stimulating factor is a possible additional mechanism of hormone replacement therapy in mediating the antiatherogenic effect.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokushima, and the Cellular Technology Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd, Tokushima, Japan.
M
M
Kamada
M
M
Irahara
M
M
Maegawa
Y
Y
Ohmoto
T
T
Takeji
T
T
Yasui
T
T
Aono
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000097:blood; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D016207:Cytokines; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D007378:Interleukins; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D008525:Medroxyprogesterone