title: Effects of tamoxifen on estrogen receptor-α level in immune cells and humoral specific response after immunization of C3H/He male mice with syngeneic testicular germ cells (TGC).
abstract: Estrogens and estrogen receptors (ERs) are potent regulators of the immune response. Disruption of ERα or modulation of its function by selective ligands during experimental autoimmune conditions changes the course of disease by influencing specific humoral and cellular responses. However, it is not known whether fluctuation in the ERα level and the variable accessibility to its ligands in immune cells influence the development of specific immune responses against auto-antigens. This study was designed to evaluate the expression level of ERα in splenic immune cells and the specific humoral immune response in male C3H/He/W mice immunized with syngeneic testicular germ cells (TGC) in the presence of tamoxifen. Levels of ERα protein in immune cell subpopulations of immunized mice (assessed by flow cytometry) increased in MHCII(+)CD86(+), MHCII(+)CD86(- ), F4/80(+)MHCII(+), immature macrophages (F4/80(+)/MHCII(- )), and CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells. Addition of tamoxifen decreased the level of ERα in MHCII(+)CD86(+), MHCII(+)CD86(- ), F4/80(+)MHCII(+), immature macrophages (F4/80(+)/MHCII(- )), and the CD19(+)CD3(- ) cell subpopulation of immunized mice. Therefore, immunization with syngeneic antigen and tamoxifen treatment evoked cell-type specific changes in the level of ERα. Irrespective of tamoxifen treatment the humoral response in immunized animals toward TGCs was similar, suggesting that modulation of the level of ERα in immune cells is not directly related to specific auto-antibody production.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology, Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Weigla, 50-114, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maj
authors.forename: Kinga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Switała-Jelen
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miazek
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szafarowicz-Basta
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kiczak
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slawek
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chelmonska-Soyta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051940:B7-2 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013737:Testis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D013629:Tamoxifen