Skip to main content
Log in

Immunosuppressive effect of estrogen on thymic dependent lymphocytic blastogenesis

  • Published:
Urological Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Suppression of thein vitro blastogenic stimulation of thymic dependent lymphocytes (T-cells) from healthy adult males in the presence of diethylstilbestrol diphosphate suggests that further investigation of estrogenic hormones as potential immunosuppressants in selected instances is warranted. Furthermore, preliminary evidence of the suppression of blastogenesis of T-cells in the presence of autologous serum from patients with prostatic cancer receiving hormonal therapy suggests that the palliative effects of such endocrine manipulation may be countered by impairment of these patient's cell-mediated immunologic responsiveness to their malignancy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Huggins, C.: Control of cancers of man by endocrinologic methods. Cancer Res. 16, 825 (1956)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Batchelor, J. R.: Hormonal control of antibody formation, pp. 276. In: Cinader, B. (ed.): Regulation of the antibody response. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas 1971

    Google Scholar 

  3. Halpern, B. N., Stiffel, C., Biozzi, G., Mouton, D.: Influence of sex hormones on the stimulation of the phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system induced by inoculation of BCG in the mouse. C. R. Soc. Biol. (Paris) 154, 1994 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Nicol, T., Bilbey, D. L. J., Charles, L. M., Cordingley, J. L., Roberts, B. V.: Oestrogen: The natural stimulant of body defence. J. Endocrin. 30, 277 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Magarey, C. J., Baum, M.: Oestrogen as a reticuloendothelial stimulant in patients with cancer. Brit. med. J. 1971 II, 367

  6. Haam, E. V., Rosenfeld, I.: The effect of estrone on antibody-production. J. Immunol. 43, 109 (1942)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Lurie, M. B., Abramson, S., Allison, M. J.: Constitutional factors in resistance to infection. I. The effect of estrogen and chorionic gonadotropin on the curve of tuberculosis in highly inbred rabbits. Amer. Rev. Tuberc. 59, 168 (1949)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Lurie, M. B., Harris, T. N., Abramson, S., Allison, J. M.: Constitutional factors in resistance to infection. II. The effect of estrogen on tuberculin skin sensitivity and on the allergy of the internal tissues. Amer. Rev. Tuberc. 59, 186 (1949)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Stern, K., Davidsohn, I. Effect of estrogen and cortisone on immune hemoantibodies in mice of inbred strains. J. Immunol. 74, 479 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lajos, L., Gores, J.: Pathological proliferation of thetrophoblast homograft in women. Nature 196, 178 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kappas, A., Jones, H. E. H., Roitt, I. M.: Effects of steroid sex hormones on immunological phenomena. Nature 198, 902 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Reilly, R. W., Thompson, J. S., Bielski, R. K., Severson, C. D.: Estradiol-induced wasting syndrome in neonatal mice. J. Immunol. 98, 321 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Thompson, J. S., Crawford, M. K., Reilly, R. W., Severson, C. D.: The effect of estrogenic hormones on immune responses in normal and irradiated mice. J. Immunol. 98, 331 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Pierpaoli, W., Sorkin, E.: Effect of gonadectomy on the peripheral lymphatic tissue of neonatally thymectomized mice. Brit. J. exp. Path. 49, 288 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Waltman, S. R., Burde, R. M., Berios, J.: Prevention of corneal homograft rejection by estrogens. Transplantation 11, 194 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Castro, J. E., Hamilton, D. N.: Adrenalectomy and orchidectomy as immunopotentiating procedures. Transplantation 13, 614 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Ablin, R. J., Bruns, G. R., Guinan, P., Bush, I. M.: The effect of estrogen on the incorporation of3H-thymidine by PHA-stimulated human periopheral blood lymphocytes. J. Immunol 113, 705 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Ablin, R. J., Bruns, G. R., Guinan, P., Bush, I. M.: Suppression of lymphocytic blastogenesis in patients with prostatic cancer following estrogenic therapy (Abstract). Ninth Leukocyte Culture Conference, December 1974

  19. Ablin, R. J.: In Axelrod, E. R. (ed.): Symposium normal and abnormal growth of the prostate. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas (In press) 1975

    Google Scholar 

  20. Scott, W. W.: Endocrine management of disseminated prostatic cancer, including bilateral adrenalectomy and hypophysectomy. Trans. Amer. Ass. gen.-urin. Surg. 44, 101 (1952)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fergusson, J. D.: Some aspects of the conservative management of prostatic cancer. Proc. roy. Soc. Med. 56, 81 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Forrest, A. P. M.: Hormonal influences in breast cancer. Proc. roy. Soc. Med. 64, 19 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Claman, H. N.: Corticosteroids and lymphoid cells. New Engl. J. Med. 287, 388 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Bourne, H. R., Lichtenstein, L. M., Melmon, K. L., Henney, C. S., Weinstein, Y., Shearer, G. M.: Modulation of inflammation and immunity by cyclic AMP. Science 184, 19 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Bruns, G. R., Ablin, R. J., Guinan, P., Nourkayhan, S., Bush, I. M.: Reduced lymphocytic blastogenesis in prostatic cancer (Abstract) Clin. Res. (In press) 1974

  26. Ablin, R. J., Bruns, G. R., Guinan, P., Bush, I. M.: Migration-inhibitory effect of serum from patients with prostatic cancer. Oncology (In press) 1975

  27. Karmali, R. A., Lauder, I., Horrobin, D. F.: Prolactin and the immune response. Lancet 1974 II, 106

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ablin, R.J., Bruns, G.R., Guinan, P. et al. Immunosuppressive effect of estrogen on thymic dependent lymphocytic blastogenesis. Urol. Res. 2, 69–71 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00554589

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00554589

Key words

Navigation