Cytokine pattern in postmenopause.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pattern of serum cytokine production in postmenopausal women and the relationship with the hormonal status. A group of fertile women served as controls.


METHODS
Eighty-two women in apparent good health, non-smokers and without a history of hormone replacement therapy, were enrolled for the study. The women were divided in two groups according to their hormonal status: fertile women (n=34, age 32 +/- 7 years) and postmenopausal women (n=48, age 54 +/- 8 years). Blood samples were withdrawn in the morning, after an overnight fast.


RESULTS
Sex hormones (LH, FSH, Estradiol, Progesterone, DHEA, DHEA-S), as well as GH and IGF-1 levels, were significantly higher in the serum of fertile women as compared with their postmenopausal counterparts. Unlike IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-gamma, significant differences were observed in serum IL-6, IL-18, TNFalpha and TNFbeta between groups: both IL-6 and IL-18 were higher in postmenopausal women, while TNFalpha and TNFbeta were significantly lower. There was an inverse relationship between serum DHEA and DHEA-S levels and both IL-6 (r= -0.46, P<0.02) or IL-18 (r= -0.38, P<0.05) serum concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with fertile counterparts, women in postmenopause present an alteration in serum cytokine profile suggesting a prevalence of Th2 lymphocytes.
Cioffi
Michele
M
Patologia clinica, Dipartimento di Patologia Generale, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via S. Andrea delle Dame, 2-80138, Naples, Italy. michele.cioffi@unina2.it
Esposito
Katherine
K
Vietri
Maria Teresa
MT
Gazzerro
Patrizia
P
D'Auria
Annamaria
A
Ardovino
Italo
I
Puca
Giovanni Alfredo
GA
Molinari
Anna Maria
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone