title: [Influence of steroid hormones on the production of two inflammatory markers, IL-12 and nitric oxide, in Behçet's disease].
abstract: Uveitis is one of the major diagnostic criteria of Behçet's disease (BD), a chronic systemic inflammatory pathology with an uncertain etiology. Since uveitis is more frequent in male patients, we assessed the level and the effect of sex hormones on inflammatory responses during BD. Peripheral blood was taken from 19 patients with BD and 20 healthy subjects. Estradiol, testosterone and cortisol were measured in plasma by ELISA. Circulating mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained on gradient density and cultured with or without the three hormones for 24h at 37 ̊C. IL-12 and nitric oxide (NO) were measured in vivo and ex vivo by ELISA and a modified Griess method, respectively. We confirmed the significantly higher in vivo and in vitro levels of NO and IL-12 in BD in comparison to controls (P<0.05). We also found that circulating cortisol was lower in BD while sex hormones did not show any significant difference between the groups (P>0.05). In vitro, NO was reduced by estradiol and cortisol and increased by testosterone in both sexes. In contrast, while IL-12 production showed the same production profile as NO in women, estradiol and cortisol failed to reduce IL-12 levels in men. Our results may explain in part the differences observed between men and women in disease clinical expression. In fact, male patients seem to have defective IL-12 down-regulation by estradiol and cortisol that increases Th1 immune responses. This may be implicated in the severe expression of BD in men.
authors.affiliation: Équipe cytokines et NO synthases, laboratoire de biologie cellulaire et moléculaire, FSB-USTHB, université Bab-Ezzouar, 16111 Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ahmedi
authors.affiliation: Équipe cytokines et NO synthases, laboratoire de biologie cellulaire et moléculaire, FSB-USTHB, université Bab-Ezzouar, 16111 Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Belguendouz
authors.affiliation: Équipe cytokines et NO synthases, laboratoire de biologie cellulaire et moléculaire, FSB-USTHB, université Bab-Ezzouar, 16111 Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Messaoudene
authors.affiliation: Équipe cytokines et NO synthases, laboratoire de biologie cellulaire et moléculaire, FSB-USTHB, université Bab-Ezzouar, 16111 Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mesbah-Amroun
authors.affiliation: Clinique d'ophtalmologie, CHU Bab El Oued, 16111 Alger, Algérie.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terahi
authors.affiliation: Service d'ophtalmologie, CHU Ibn Rochd, Annaba, Algérie.
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Lahlou-Boukoffa
authors.affiliation: Équipe cytokines et NO synthases, laboratoire de biologie cellulaire et moléculaire, FSB-USTHB, université Bab-Ezzouar, 16111 Alger, Algérie. Electronic address: touilboukoffa@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Touil-Boukoffa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018664:Interleukin-12; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Behçet's disease; Cortisol; Estradiol; IL-12; La maladie de Behçet; Monoxyde d’azote; Nitric oxide; Testosterone; Testostérone