Postmenopausal changes in production of type 1 and type 2 cytokines and the effects of hormone replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
An appropriate defense against infective agents or malignant cells is attributed to the exquisitely balanced T helper 1 type (cellular) and T helper 2 type (humoral) immune reactions. We investigated the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on postmenopausal changes in the production of interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-10, a type 1 and a type 2 cytokine, respectively.


METHODS
Both cytokines were measured by ELISA in the supernatant of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole blood cells from 72 untreated and 44 HRT-treated women. Thirteen women were examined before and during HRT.


RESULTS
The production of IFN-gamma in women in their 40s and in postmenopausal women was significantly higher compared with that of younger women. However, IFN-gamma fell to the lowest level in the late postmenopausal stage, whereas the production of IL-10 increased gradually with age and in parallel with the postmenopausal period. Thus, in women in the mid-and late postmenopausal period, excessive production of type 2 cytokine (IL-10) compared with type 1 cytokine (IFN-gamma) occurred. The IFN-gamma levels of women on HRT were significantly lower than those of untreated women in the early and mid-postmenopausal stages, and IL-10 levels of women on HRT were significantly lower than those of untreated women in the mid-and late postmenopausal stages. HRT induced a significant decrease in the production of IL-10 and tended to lower the level of IFN-gamma.


CONCLUSIONS
Production of IL-10 is augmented in postmenopausal women. HRT probably prevents postmenopausal women from an aberration of the immune system by improving the balance of type 1 and type 2 immune reactions.
Deguchi
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima, 770-8503, Japan.
Kamada
M
M
Irahara
M
M
Maegawa
M
M
Yamamoto
S
S
Ohmoto
Y
Y
Murata
K
K
Yasui
T
T
Yamano
S
S
Aono
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000276:immunology; D011446:Prospective Studies
D016207:Cytokines; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma