title: The effect of certain steroid hormones on the expression of genes involved in the metabolism of free radicals.
abstract: Steroid hormones influence the antioxidant processes of cells. However, the molecular mechanism of this effect is not fully clear. Our aim was to examine how steroid hormones affect the expression of certain genes that play a role in antioxidant processes. Blood was taken from ten healthy volunteers. Neutrophil granulocytes were separated and treated either with 17-β-estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, or cortisol. Whole RNA was isolated and reverse transcription was carried out in treated and control groups. Relative quantification was performed with SYBR Green assay and gene-specific oligonucleotides. We found that the expression of Mn-superoxide dismutase was significantly increased by 17-β-estradiol and testosterone, myeloperoxidase expression was significantly elevated by cortisol and progesterone, and the expression of NADPH oxidase was significantly decreased by progesterone. We conclude that the antioxidant effect of steroid hormones is in part carried out through transcriptional regulation of certain enzymes. Subsequent studies are required in order to examine the non-genomic, membrane receptor mediated effect of steroids on antioxidant processes.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Semmelweis University, 46 Szentkiralyi utca, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Ildiko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tulassay
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Istvan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marczell
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nagy-Repas
authors.forename: Szabolcs
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Varbiro
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Magyar
authors.forename: Bela
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szekacs
authors.forename: Karoly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Racz
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bekesi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006854:Hydrocortisone