title: [Role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the pathogenesis of late complications of menopause. Effects of hormone replacement therapy on TNF and IL-6 expression].
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are pleiotropic cytokines produced by immune and nonimmune cells. Inappropriate expression and production of TNF and IL-6 is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including atherosclerosis which leads to coronary heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease. Conversely, these disorders belong to the late complications of menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may successfully improve them. Several studies have shown that postmenopausal women show an enhanced expression of TNF and IL-6. On contrary, the use of hormone replacement therapy by postmenopausal women has been shown to down regulate this overexpression. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of HRT can also be attributed to its immunomodulating properties which seem to restore cytokine homeostasis in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Immunologii, AM w Gdańsku. drachon@amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rachoń
mesh_terms: D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha