Modulation of autoimmune rheumatic diseases by oestrogen and progesterone • Grant C. Hughes & Divaker Choubey Nature Reviews Rheumatology 10, 740–751 (2014) doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2014.144 Published online 26 August 2014 http://www.nature.com/nrrheum/journal/v10/n12/full/nrrheum.2014.144.html Abstract Sexual dimorphism is evident in the risk and expression of several human autoimmune diseases. Differences in disease manifestations observed between sexes are likely to involve immunomodulation by sex steroids, nonhormonal factors encoded by genes on the X and Y chromosomes, and immunological phenomena unique to pregnancy. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and perhaps other autoantibody-mediated diseases, oestrogen seems to increase the risk of disease in genetically predisposed women by targeting key immune pathways, including the type 1 interferon (IFN) response, differentiation of CD4+ T helper cells and survival of autoreactive B cells. By contrast, progesterone seems to reduce the risk of SLE by counteracting the effects of oestrogen on some of these same pathways, which suggests that the balance between oestrogen and progesterone can determine disease expression. In this Review we focus on the roles of the sex steroid hormones oestrogen and progesterone in modulating the risk and expression of SLE and rheumatoid arthritis. Intensive research in this area promises to identify novel therapeutic strategies and improve understanding of the immunological requirements and complications of pregnancy, and is expected to define the mechanisms behind sexual dimorphism in autoimmunity, immunity and other aspects of human health—a newly announced directive of the NIH.
TBI = traumatic brain injury --1.5 to 2 million people in the U.S. sustain a TBI each year --TBI causes 50,000 deaths and 80,000 new cases of long-term disability per year in US --major cause of death and disability among children and military personnel. --one article said no new medicines or therapies for TBA have come to light in over 30 years (I doubt this) --it occurs to me to wonder if we gave progesterone prophylactically to boxers and football players, would they keep playing and retain more smarts? or would they quit? it hasn't been studied yet. =-] ( notes on promising new progesterone research, and on excitotoxicity and glutamateCollapse )
I felt some loneliness the first week I was here. But now, no. I have enough acquaintances to not feel lonely. The landlady, Marie, speaks English and her bf is American. And her niece, Emma, also…
Comments