Sexual dimorphisms in the immune system of catechol-O-methyltransferase knockout mice

• The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is part of the metabolic pathway of 17 beta-estradiol, converting 2-hydroxyestradiol to 2-methoxyestradiol. We recently showed that administration of the COMT product 2-methoxyestradiol has anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoporotic effects. We have now investigated whether COMT affects the immune system, by immunologically phenotyping COMT deficient (COMT-/-) mice. Immunoglobulin production, T lymphocyte proliferation, NK cell cytotoxicity and oxygen radical production were assessed. In male COMT-/--mice, the total number of T-, and B-lymphocytes from spleen increased but the T-cell proliferative response decreased. The NK cell population shifted toward less mature cells, leaving cytotoxic capacity unaffected. In COMT-/--females, a higher frequency of neutrophils was found but the oxygen radical production was unaltered. In conclusion, only minor changes of the immune system were seen in COMT deficient mice, and the changes were usually seen in males. This study provides clues into how COMT activity, and hence gender differences, affects the immune system. (c) 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Immunologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Immunology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

2-Methoxyestradiol

Catechol-O-methyltransferase

Immune system

Estradiol metabolism

Sex-

estrogen-receptor specificity

collagen-induced arthritis

rheumatoid-arthritis

psychiatric-disorders

brain-function

breast-cancer

cell-activity

risk model

nk cells

estradiol

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)