The immune system in menopause: Pros and cons of hormone therapy

Abstract

With aging, a general decline in immune function is observed leading to immune-senescence. Several of these changes are gender specific affecting postmenopausal women. Menopause is a normal part of a woman’s lifecycle and consists of a series of body changes that can last from one to ten years. It is known that loss of sex hormones due to aging results in a reduction of immune functions. However, there remains a major gap in our understanding regarding the loss of immune functions particularly in the female reproductive tract (FRT) following menopause and the role of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in protecting against immune senescence. The current review presents an overview of changes in the immune system due to aging, focusing on genital tract immunity in menopausal women and the risks and benefits of using MHT.

Aging impacts CD103+CD8+ T cell presence and induction by dendritic cells in the genital tract

“…Our observation of lower numbers of CD103 + T cells in the CX and ECX in older women correlates with epidemiological findings of increased susceptibility to certain STIs after menopause (Ghosh et al., 2013). Epidemiological studies demonstrate a second peak in the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV), a cause of cervical cancer, in women older than 45 years old (Gonzalez et al., 2010).…”

“…Epidemiological studies show a global increase in the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including new HIV infections, in older adults (CDC, 2016; Ghosh, Rodriguez‐Garcia & Wira, 2013). As people age, the systemic immune system undergoes progressive dysregulation that results in increased susceptibility to infections and malignancies and reduced responses to vaccination and increased general inflammation (Ghosh et al., 2013).…”

“…As people age, the systemic immune system undergoes progressive dysregulation that results in increased susceptibility to infections and malignancies and reduced responses to vaccination and increased general inflammation (Ghosh et al., 2013). However, the extent to which aging affects mucosal cell‐mediated immune protection in the female reproductive tract (FRT) is unknown and represents a critical gap in our knowledge for the development of preventive and/or treatment strategies against STIs for women of all ages.…”

Normal ovarian aging, but modified T-cell differentiation, in female mice following neonatal exposure to bisphenol A

“…Immune system dysfunction also occurs in postmenopausal women and is associated with sex hormonal changes (Gameiro et al, 2010;Ghosh et al, 2014). Postmenopausal women, relative to premenopausal women, showed decreased immune functions related to high incidences of chronic diseases.…”

Influence of Vaginal Administration of Glucosamine Hydrochloride to Psycho-Emotional and Locomotor Activity of Spay Female Rats

“…According to researchers, who have studied the clinical manifestations of climacteric in women of 45-54 years, with climacteric syndrome lasting within 5 years, 78.4 % of cases show disorders of psycho-emotional sphere [1][2][3]. 10 % of women experience depression, which is one of the most severe and difficult-to-treat symptoms, and 13 % -neurotic disorders, showing themselves in tearfulness, irritability, seizures, feeling of fear, anxiety, sleep disorders [4][5][6][7][8][9].Pharmacological correction of pathological manifestations of climactericis made withdrugs of estrogens, combined preparations containing estrogens with progestins and phytoestrogens. Hormonal drugs, while having undoubted efficiency, have a number of contraindications, limiting their use [10,11].…”