Probing the impact of sex steroids and menopause-related sex steroid deprivation on modulation of immune senescence

Vrachnis, Nikolaos; Zygouris, Dimitrios; Iliodromiti, Zoe; Daniilidis, Angelos; Valsamakis, Georgios; Kalantaridou, Sophia Ν.

doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.04.014

Cited by 28 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 48 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The sudden loss of ovarian oestrogen and progesterone production that characterizes menopause, induces pathophysiological changes in different organs and systems [81]. Menopause reflects the inevitable final hallmark of a woman's fertile lifespan and of the above-described beneficial effects of oestrogens on immune responses.…”

Section: Gender and The Immune Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender, aging and longevity in humans: an update of an intriguing/neglected scenario paving the way to a gender-specific medicine

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Data showing a remarkable gender difference in life expectancy and mortality, including survival to extreme age, are reviewed starting from clinical and demographic data and stressing the importance of a comprehensive historical perspective and a gene–environment/lifestyle interaction. Gender difference regarding prevalence and incidence of the most important age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, disability, autoimmunity and infections, are reviewed and updated with particular attention to the role of the immune system and immunosenescence. On the whole, gender differences appear to be pervasive and still poorly considered and investigated despite their biomedical relevance. The basic biological mechanisms responsible for gender differences in aging and longevity are quite complex and still poorly understood. The present review focuses on centenarians and their offspring as a model of healthy aging and summarizes available knowledge on three basic biological phenomena, i.e. age-related X chromosome inactivation skewing, gut microbiome changes and maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA genetic variants. In conclusion, an appropriate gender-specific medicine approach is urgently needed and should be systematically pursued in studies on healthy aging, longevity and age-related diseases, in a globalized world characterized by great gender differences which have a high impact on health and diseases.

show abstract

Section: Gender and The Immune Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender, aging and longevity in humans: an update of an intriguing/neglected scenario paving the way to a gender-specific medicine

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Vaccination response in females as well as the relative resistance to infections is eliminated after menopause. The immune senescence of menopause has been linked to the altered sex steroid status [5]. The involution in the thymus has been partially attributed to the increase in sex steroids at puberty.…”

Section: Doi: 101159/000494262mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Sex Hormones in Multiple Sclerosis

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelination disorder with an immune-mediated pathophysiology that affects the central nervous system (CNS). Like other autoimmune conditions, it has a predilection for female gender. This suggests a gender bias and a possible hormonal association. Inflammation and demyelination are hallmarks of MS. Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the CNS and these continue to be generated by oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). The process of remyelination represents a major form of plasticity in the developing adult CNS. Remyelination does occur in MS, but the process is largely inadequate and/or incomplete. Current treatment strategies primarily focus on reducing inflammation or immunosuppression, but there is a need for more extensive research on re-myelination as a possible mechanism of treatment. Previous studies have shown that pregnancy leads to an increase in OPC proliferation, oligodendrocyte generation and the number of myelinated axons in the maternal CNS. Studies have also suggested that this remyelination is possibly mediated by estriol. Sex hormones in particular have been shown to have an immuno-protective effect in TH1-driven autoimmunity diseases. The aim of our article is to review the available research on sex hormone-specific immune modulatory effects, assess its remyelination potential in MS, and suggest a future path for more extensive research on sex hormone as a target for therapeutics in MS.

show abstract

“…This latter aspect of the study was undertaken as it has been reported that immune responses could be different by gender in normal and in pathological conditions (Ngo et al 2014;Vrachnis et al 2014) and, more specifically, toxic effects of metals (including V) on the immune system of females (models) have been poorly investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-based differences in lymphocyte proliferation in the spleen after vanadium inhalation

Rodríguez-Lara

Cambas

Villalva

et al. 2016

Journal of Immunotoxicology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Vanadium (V) is a transition metal often adhered to particulate matter and released into the atmosphere as vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) by the burning of fossil fuels. This air pollutant causes adverse effects in the immune system. Lymphocytosis and splenomegaly have been reported with increased white pulp in mice after V inhalation. The effect of V on the immune system as related to sex has been poorly investigated. This study sought to determine if V inhalation (a) produced lymphoproliferation that could explain the changes previously observed in the spleen and in peripheral blood lymphocyte counts and (b) whether any observed effects differed due to gender. Immunohistochemical analyses of Ki-67, a specific proliferation marker, was made in the spleens of CD-1 male and female mice exposed for 1 h, twice a week, over a 12-week period to V 2 O 5 (at 1.4 mg V 2 O 5 /m 3 ) by whole-body inhalation; similar analyses were performed on spleens of control mice exposed to vehicle (filtered air). The results showed that in male mice there was a significant increase in percentage of Ki-67 immunopositive lymphocytes starting from the second week and until the end of the exposure. The Ki-67 signal was cytoplasmic and nuclear in the exposed males, while in controls the signal was only nuclear. In female mice, V inhalation singificantly increased the percentage of proliferating lymphocytes only after 1 week of exposure. Ki-67 signal was observed only in the nucleus of lymphocytes from the control and exposed females. The results here help to explain the splenomegaly and lymphocytosis observed previously in male mice and support the lymphoproliferative effect induced by V. Lastly, the finding that there was a sex difference in the effect of vanadium on lymphocyte proliferation suggests a role for sex hormones in potential protection against V immunotoxicity; however, further studies are needed to support this hypothesis. ARTICLE HISTORY

show abstract

Probing the impact of sex steroids and menopause-related sex steroid deprivation on modulation of immune senescence

Cited by 28 publications

References 48 publications

Gender, aging and longevity in humans: an update of an intriguing/neglected scenario paving the way to a gender-specific medicine

Gender, aging and longevity in humans: an update of an intriguing/neglected scenario paving the way to a gender-specific medicine

The Role of Sex Hormones in Multiple Sclerosis

Sex-based differences in lymphocyte proliferation in the spleen after vanadium inhalation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About