Linked Life Data

14740444

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/14740444

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
2004-1-26
pubmed:abstractText
Sex hormones appear to play an important role as modulators of autoimmune disease onset/perpetuation. Steroid hormones are implicated in the immune response, with estrogens as enhancers at least of humoral immunity, and androgens and progesterone (and glucocorticoids) as natural immune suppressors. Serum levels of estrogens have been found to be normal in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Synovial fluid levels (SF) of proinflammatory estrogens relative to androgens are significantly elevated in both male and female RA patients as compared to controls, which is most probably due to an increase in local aromatase activity. Thus, available steroid pre-hormones are rapidly converted to proinflammatory estrogens in the synovial tissue in the presence of inflammatory cytokines (i.e. TNF alpha, IL-1, IL-6). The increased estrogen concentrations observed in RA SF of both sexes are characterized mainly by the hydroxylated forms, in particular 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone, showing a mitogenic stimulating role. Indeed, recent studies by us indicate that 17-beta estradiol (E2) clearly enhanced the expression of markers of cell growth and proliferation, whereas testosterone (T) induced an increase in markers indicating DNA damage and apoptosis. In particular, our data further shows that the enhancing role of estrogens on the immune/inflammatory response is exerted by activating the NFkB complex. In conclusion, locally increased estrogens may exert activating effects on synovial cell proliferation, including macrophages and fibroblasts, suggesting new roles for estrogens in RA.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0392-856X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
21
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
687-90
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:articleTitle
New roles for estrogens in rheumatoid arthritis.
pubmed:publicationType
Comparative Study, Editorial