Effect of estrogens on the interferon-gamma producing cell population of mouse splenocytes.
We examined the effect of 17beta-estradiol (E2) on the cytokine production by mouse splenocytes. The production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was enhanced by E2 stimulation. E2 increased the number of cells expressing IFN-gamma and the IFN-gamma mRNA expression level in the cells. There were low- and high-level cells expressing IFN-gamma in the population. The natural killer (NK) cells and NKT cells were the low-level cells expressing IFN-gamma, and the number of these cells was increased by E2 stimulation. In addition, it was suggested that the enhancing effect of IFN-gamma production by E2 was mediated through estrogen receptor (ER) alpha, and ERbeta agonist stimulated IFN-gamma production. ERs are expressed on plasma membrane as well as in nucleus. The ligand specific to plasma membrane-associated ER (mER) enhanced the IFN-gamma production. In conclusion, our results indicated that E2 up-regulated the IFN-gamma production by mediating ERalpha, ERbeta and mERs.
Nakaya
Mako
M
Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. makorenu@agr.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Tachibana
Hirofumi
H
Yamada
Koji
K
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004958:Estradiol; D007371:Interferon-gamma