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Influence of surgical trauma on the mRNA expression of sex hormone receptors in PBMCs in male and female patients

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Abstract

Introduction

Gender-specific immune responses have been found after trauma-hemorrhage. Male and female sex hormones seem to be responsible for this gender dimorphism. Alterations in sex hormone receptor expression in mice appear to contribute to the immunomodulatory effect of sex hormones after blood loss. The effect of surgical trauma on the expression of sex hormone receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients, however, remains unknown.

Materials and methods

PBMCs were obtained from 14 patients (7 men and 7 women) undergoing major abdominal surgery preoperatively and 2 h postoperatively. The expression of the androgen and the estrogen α- and β- receptors were determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). β-Actin was used as housekeeping gene.

Results

The results indicate that surgical trauma has no influence on the expression of the androgen receptor and the estrogen receptors α and β in male and female patients.

Discussion

The data demonstrate that, in contrast to mice, no alterations in the expression of androgen and estrogen hormone receptors were evident after surgery in patients. Thus, differences in the expression of sex hormone receptors do not appear to be responsible for the gender-specific immune response after surgery.

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Acknowledgment

This investigation was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft DFG AN 357/1-1 and a grant of the Münchner Medizinische Wochenschrift (MMW).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    S. A. Brechenmacher, C. J. Bruns, N. K. Van den Engel, F. Loehe, K.-W. Jauch & M. K. Angele

  2. Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany

    P. Angele

Authors
  1. S. A. Brechenmacher
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  2. C. J. Bruns
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  3. N. K. Van den Engel
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  4. P. Angele
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  5. F. Loehe
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  6. K.-W. Jauch
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  7. M. K. Angele
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. K. Angele.

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Brechenmacher, S.A., Bruns, C.J., Van den Engel, N.K. et al. Influence of surgical trauma on the mRNA expression of sex hormone receptors in PBMCs in male and female patients. Langenbecks Arch Surg 393, 871–876 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-008-0304-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-008-0304-8

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