title: The role of sex hormones in induced-systemic inflammation in female albino rats.
abstract: Estrogen (E(2)) and progesterone (P) hormones have a pro-inflammatory and an anti-inflammatory role under different conditions. The current study explored this phenomenon in the context of septic inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved 48 female albino rats. E(2) (4 mg/100 g body weight (b.w.) and P (5 mg/kg b.w.) were administered to ovariectomized (OVX) rats after systemic inflammation (SI) induced by puncturing the caecum I cm from its end with a single hole by using a 21-gauge needle. Key indices of inflammation and apoptosis were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OVX animals subjected to SI showed significantly increased levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-u), C reactive protein (CRP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). They also showed higher levels of expression of the enzyme inducible nitric oxide synthase (iN OS); 312 ± 43 mg/ml; in the liver, and the activity of both cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2); 59.4 ± 3.2 U/ml; and caspase 3 enzymes; 6.3 ± 0.54 ng/ml; when compared to non-OVX animals subjected to (SI), (180 ± 3 mg/ml, 16.4 ± 1.69 U/ml, 0.98 ± 0.23 ng/ml respectively). Administration of E(2) resulted in a significant reduction of all serum and liver tissue parameters of inflammation (e.g.decreased iNOS; 193 ± 28 mg/ml and COX-2; 27.6 ± 3.91 U/ml) and decreased apoptosis (Caspase 3; 1.18 ± 0.21 ng/ml). In contrast, OVX animals injected with P before induction of SI showed a significant rise of all measured parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  E(2) and Pin physiological levels have contrasting though complementary roles in regulation of the immune system possibly allowing a limited inflammatory response while preventing excessive damage to the tissues.
authors.affiliation: Cairo University Departments of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Cairo Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassouna
authors.affiliation: Cairo University Departments of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Cairo Egypt.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Obaia
authors.affiliation: Cairo University Departments of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Cairo Egypt.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marzouk
authors.affiliation: Cairo University Departments of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine Cairo Egypt.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rateb
authors.affiliation: King Khalid University Department of Physiology, College of Medicine Abha Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haidara
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017209:Apoptosis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011677:Punctures; D051381:Rats; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C030929:Crp protein, rat; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C489691:Ptgs2 protein, rat; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: apoptosis; liver; oestrogens; progesterone; systemic inflammation