In Vitro Modulation of Activation Antigens on Human Lymphocytes by β‐Estradiol

• Published in: American journal of reproductive immunology (1989) 1998-12, Vol.40 (6), p.418-423
• Main Authors: KOMLOS, L., ZAHAVI, Z., DICKER, D., LURIA, D., SALMAN, H., ZAHAVI, I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: activation antigens; Adult; Antigens, CD - analysis; Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte - analysis; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Estradiol - pharmacology; estrogen; Female; Flow Cytometry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; human lymphocytes; Humans; Immunobiology; Lectins, C-Type; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - immunology; Male; Modulation of the immune response (stimulation, suppression); Phytohemagglutinins - pharmacology; Receptors, Interleukin-2 - analysis; Receptors, Transferrin; β‐estradiol
• ISSN: 1046-7408; 8755-8920; 1600-0897
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1998.tb00428.x

PROBLEM: The possible in vitro immunomodulating effect of β‐estradiol on phytohemagglutinin‐stimulated human lymphocyte cultures was studied. METHOD OF STUDY: Lymphocyte cultures from 12 healthy men and women aged 25–35 years were set up for 12 hr in the presence and in the absence of β‐estradiol, and the expression of the activation markers CD25, CD69, and CD71 was examined by flow cytometric analysis with specific fluorescent conjugated antibodies. RESULTS: Although the number of cases is small, in 10 of 12 cases in the presence of β‐estradiol in two different concentrations, a significantly decreased expression of CD69 could be observed. A slight decrease could also be observed for the Interleukin‐2 receptor expression; however, the difference, in the presence or absence of β‐estradiol, was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that in vitro addition of β‐estradiol can inhibit, to a certain degree, specific activation markers on phytohemagglutinin‐stimulated lymphocytes from young men and women. The present study could not define the role of sex differences because of the small number of samples. A comparison between men and women at various ages in a greater number of cases, as well as studies on activation markers after treatments with estrogens, would be useful.