. Estrogen pretreatment protects males against hypoxia-induced immune depression. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 282: C1087-C1092, 2002. First published December 12, 2001 10.1152/ajpcell.00454.2001.-Hypoxemia depresses cell-mediated immune functions in males, whereas proestrous females do not show such a depression. We hypothesized that elevated systemic estradiol levels in proestrous females prevent hypoxemia-induced immune depression. To study this hypothesis, male C3H/HeN mice were pretreated with 17␤-estradiol (E 2, 40 g/kg body wt sc) or vehicle for 3 days before induction of hypoxemia and again immediately before induction of hypoxia. The mice were subjected to hypoxemia (95% N 2-5% O2) or sham hypoxemia (room air) for 60 min, and plasma and spleen cells were collected 2 h later. In vehicle-treated mice, splenocyte proliferation and interleukin-2 and interleukin-3 production were depressed after hypoxemia. E 2-pretreated animals, however, displayed no such depression in splenic T cell parameters after hypoxemia. Splenic macrophage cytokine production was also depressed in vehicle-treated mice subjected to hypoxia, whereas it was normal in E 2-pretreated mice. In summary, these findings indicate that administration of E 2 before hypoxemia prevented the depression of cell-mediated immune functions. Thus administration of 17␤-estradiol in high-risk patients before major surgery might decrease hypoxemia-induced immune depression under those conditions.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare condition characterized by recurrent eosinophilic infiltration of portions of the GI tract and presenting with nonspecific GI symptoms in association with peripheral eosinophilia. Its etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear and its symptoms overlap with many GI and systemic diseases. Thus, both gastroenterologists and general internists need to be aware of this rare condition. We present a case of a 55-year-old male with diffuse abdominal pain and distention for two weeks. His physical examination was significant for moderate ascites. Initial work-up demonstrated severe peripheral blood eosinophilia, normal liver function tests, thickening of the stomach and small bowel wall, and elevated serum IgE. Upper endoscopy and extensive testing for malignancy and parasitic infections failed to establish a diagnosis. Ascitic fluid analysis showed significant eosinophilia. Further, a full-thickness jejunal showed marked eosinophilic infiltration of the serosa and muscularis propria. Subsequent treatment with oral prednisone resulted in normalization of laboratory and radiologic abnormalities in a few week period.