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The Multi-faceted Influences of Estrogen on Lymphocytes: Toward Novel Immuno-interventions Strategies for Autoimmunity Management

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Abstract

Early studies of the immune system disclosed that, generally, females exhibit stronger responses to a variety of antigens than males. Perhaps as a result of this response, women are more prone to developing autoimmune diseases than men. Yet, the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms remain under investigation. Recently, interferon-gamma and the related pro-inflammatory interleukin-12 were found to be under effects of sex steroid hormones, with potential implications in regulating immune cells and autoimmune responses. In B lymphocytes, functional binding sites for estrogen receptors were identified in the promoter of the gene encoding activation-induced deaminase, an enzyme required for somatic hypermutation, and class-switch recombination. The observation that estrogen exerts direct impacts on antibody affinity-maturation provides a potential mechanism that could account for generating pathogenic high-affinity auto-antibodies. Further deciphering the multi-faceted influences of sex hormones on the responsiveness of immune cells could lead to novel therapeutic interventions for autoimmunity management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Ebru Karpuzoglu

  2. Institute of Genes and Transplantation, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey, 06800

    Ebru Karpuzoglu

  3. Inserm U606, Centre Viggo Petersen, Hôpital Lariboisière, 2, rue Ambroise Paré, 75475, Paris CEDEX 10, France

    Moncef Zouali

  4. University Denis Diderot Paris 7, 75475, Paris, France

    Moncef Zouali

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  1. Ebru Karpuzoglu
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Karpuzoglu, E., Zouali, M. The Multi-faceted Influences of Estrogen on Lymphocytes: Toward Novel Immuno-interventions Strategies for Autoimmunity Management. Clinic Rev Allerg Immunol 40, 16–26 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12016-009-8188-0

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