Biomaterial Database

Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone: can they be used to treat autoimmune diseases? 1994

R F Van Vollenhoven, and J L McGuire

Immunology Clinic, Stanford University Medical Center, CA 94305-5111.

BACKGROUND Sex hormones have marked immunomodulatory properties and may play important roles in the etiology of various autoimmune diseases. OBJECTIVE To review the immunomodulatory effects of sex hormones, their roles in the etiology of autoimmune diseases, and their potential therapeutic applications. CONCLUSIONS Progesterone and androgens suppress the immune system, prolactin stimulates it, and estrogens can do either. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to improve during pregnancy, during estrogen replacement therapy, and during treatment with estrogen-containing oral contraceptives. Systemic lupus erythematosus is aggravated by pregnancy and probably by estrogens. Therapy of rheumatoid arthritis with estrogens has not been promising, but testosterone replacement in men has shown modest benefits. In lupus, 19-nortestosterone has had little or no benefit, but danazol has been helpful in some patients, and encouraging preliminary results were obtained with dehydroepiandrosterone. CONCLUSIONS We strongly recommend estrogen replacement therapy to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Younger women with rheumatoid arthritis can undergo pregnancy or use estrogen-containing contraceptives. Estrogens can be used in lupus only with great caution. Recommendations regarding other hormones and other diseases are less firm, but research is continuing in this area.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007108	Immune Tolerance	The specific failure of a normally responsive individual to make an immune response to a known antigen. It results from previous contact with the antigen by an immunologically immature individual (fetus or neonate) or by an adult exposed to extreme high-dose or low-dose antigen, or by exposure to radiation, antimetabolites, antilymphocytic serum, etc.	Immunosuppression (Physiology),Immunosuppressions (Physiology),Tolerance, Immune
D008180	Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic	A chronic, relapsing, inflammatory, and often febrile multisystemic disorder of connective tissue, characterized principally by involvement of the skin, joints, kidneys, and serosal membranes. It is of unknown etiology, but is thought to represent a failure of the regulatory mechanisms of the autoimmune system. The disease is marked by a wide range of system dysfunctions, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the formation of LE cells in the blood or bone marrow.	Libman-Sacks Disease,Lupus Erythematosus Disseminatus,Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,Disease, Libman-Sacks,Libman Sacks Disease
D008297	Male		Males
D011374	Progesterone	The major progestational steroid that is secreted primarily by the CORPUS LUTEUM and the PLACENTA. Progesterone acts on the UTERUS, the MAMMARY GLANDS and the BRAIN. It is required in EMBRYO IMPLANTATION; PREGNANCY maintenance, and the development of mammary tissue for MILK production. Progesterone, converted from PREGNENOLONE, also serves as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of GONADAL STEROID HORMONES and adrenal CORTICOSTEROIDS.	Pregnenedione,Progesterone, (13 alpha,17 alpha)-(+-)-Isomer,Progesterone, (17 alpha)-Isomer,Progesterone, (9 beta,10 alpha)-Isomer
D011388	Prolactin	A lactogenic hormone secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). It is a polypeptide of approximately 23 kD. Besides its major action on lactation, in some species prolactin exerts effects on reproduction, maternal behavior, fat metabolism, immunomodulation and osmoregulation. Prolactin receptors are present in the mammary gland, hypothalamus, liver, ovary, testis, and prostate.	Lactogenic Hormone, Pituitary,Mammotropic Hormone, Pituitary,Mammotropin,PRL (Prolactin),Hormone, Pituitary Lactogenic,Hormone, Pituitary Mammotropic,Pituitary Lactogenic Hormone,Pituitary Mammotropic Hormone
D004967	Estrogens	Compounds that interact with ESTROGEN RECEPTORS in target tissues to bring about the effects similar to those of ESTRADIOL. Estrogens stimulate the female reproductive organs, and the development of secondary female SEX CHARACTERISTICS. Estrogenic chemicals include natural, synthetic, steroidal, or non-steroidal compounds.	Estrogen,Estrogen Effect,Estrogen Effects,Estrogen Receptor Agonists,Estrogenic Agents,Estrogenic Compounds,Estrogenic Effect,Estrogenic Effects,Agents, Estrogenic,Agonists, Estrogen Receptor,Compounds, Estrogenic,Effects, Estrogen,Effects, Estrogenic,Receptor Agonists, Estrogen
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012216	Rheumatic Diseases	Disorders of connective tissue, especially the joints and related structures, characterized by inflammation, degeneration, or metabolic derangement.	Rheumatism,Disease, Rheumatic,Diseases, Rheumatic,Rheumatic Disease