title: 17beta-estradiol enhances contact hypersensitivity and IFN-gamma expression in inflamed skin of BALB/c mice.
abstract: The effects of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) on mouse contact hypersensitivity (CHS) elicited at the ears by 4-ethoxymethylene-2-phenyl-2-oxazolin-5-one (OXA) were examined. Male and female BALB/c mice were sham-treated or gonadectomized, and then subcutaneously injected with E(2) twice a week for 4 weeks. The mice were sensitized by OXA application to their back and CHS was elicited at the ears. E(2) enhanced the ear swelling of all groups at 6h after the elicitation. E(2) had no effect on the mitogenesis of splenic lymphocytes or nitric oxide synthesis by peritoneal macrophages. E(2) increased the number of thymic cells in female mice, but not male mice, and had no effect on the splenic cells of either female or male mice. Evaluation of the cytokine expressions in the inflamed skin revealed that E(2) enhanced the expression of interferon-gamma, but had no effect on the expression of interleukin-4. These results suggest that E(2) affects the thymus and enhances the production of interferon-gamma in skin to augment the skin swelling in CHS elicited by OXA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health & Preventive Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumitoshi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sakazaki
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamuro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C119678:4-ethoxymethylene-2-phenyl-2-oxazoline-5-one; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D010080:Oxazoles; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D004958:Estradiol; D007371:Interferon-gamma