OpenLB
Open Library of Bioscience
Advanced Search
Frontiers in immunology
2018;9 1332.

Glucocorticoids, Sex Hormones, and Immunity.

Oxana Bereshchenko, Stefano Bruscoli, Carlo Riccardi
Author Information
  1. Oxana Bereshchenko: Section of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  2. Stefano Bruscoli: Section of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  3. Carlo Riccardi: Section of Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
PMID: 29946321 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01332

Abstract

Glucocorticoid hormones regulate essential body functions in mammals, control cell metabolism, growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Importantly, they are potent suppressors of inflammation, and multiple immune-modulatory mechanisms involving leukocyte apoptosis, differentiation, and cytokine production have been described. Due to their potent anti-inflammatory and immune-suppressive activity, synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most prescribed drugs used for treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. It is long been noted that males and females exhibit differences in the prevalence in several autoimmune diseases (AD). This can be due to the role of sexual hormones in regulation of the immune responses, acting through their endogenous nuclear receptors to mediate gene expression and generate unique gender-specific cellular environments. Given the fact that GCs are the primary physiological anti-inflammatory hormones, and that sex hormones may also exert immune-modulatory functions, the link between GCs and sex hormones may exist. Understanding the nature of this possible crosstalk is important to unravel the reason of sexual disparity in AD and to carefully prescribe these drugs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In this review, we discuss similarities and differences between the effects of sex hormones and GCs on the immune system, to highlight possible axes of functional interaction.

Keywords

adaptive immunity estrogen receptor alpha glucocorticoid receptor glucocorticoids innate immunity sex hormones

References

J Leukoc Biol. 2007 Oct;82(4):1019-26 [PMID: 17656650]
Blood. 2001 Aug 1;98(3):743-53 [PMID: 11468175]
PLoS One. 2010 Feb 25;5(2):e9421 [PMID: 20195535]
J Immunol. 2011 Sep 1;187(5):2386-93 [PMID: 21810607]
Science. 1985 Jan 18;227(4684):257-61 [PMID: 3871252]
J Immunol. 2015 Jun 15;194(12):6057-67 [PMID: 25964494]
J Immunol. 2002 Aug 15;169(4):1837-43 [PMID: 12165507]
Mol Cell. 2006 Feb 17;21(4):555-64 [PMID: 16483936]
J Exp Med. 2017 Jun 5;214(6):1581-1592 [PMID: 28484078]
J Immunol. 1980 Aug;125(2):871-3 [PMID: 7391583]
Blood. 2003 Jan 15;101(2):729-38 [PMID: 12393603]
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2010 May 31;120(2-3):69-75 [PMID: 20346397]
J Exp Med. 1992 Mar 1;175(3):661-9 [PMID: 1531494]
J Immunol. 1984 Jan;132(1):38-42 [PMID: 6317746]
J Clin Invest. 2002 Jun;109(12):1625-33 [PMID: 12070310]
Nat Immunol. 2016 Jun 21;17 (7):765-74 [PMID: 27328006]
Immunology. 2013 Nov;140(3):281-7 [PMID: 23866009]
Shock. 2001 Nov;16(5):340-3 [PMID: 11699070]
Clin Exp Immunol. 1996 Oct;106(1):127-33 [PMID: 8870710]
Science. 1988 May 13;240(4854):889-95 [PMID: 3283939]
Blood. 2006 Feb 1;107(3):1039-47 [PMID: 16204313]
J Immunol. 1996 Jun 1;156(11):4422-8 [PMID: 8666816]
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1994 Dec;79(6):1619-24 [PMID: 7527406]
J Biol Chem. 2012 Jan 6;287(2):1242-51 [PMID: 22110132]
J Exp Med. 1978 Jun 1;147(6):1568-83 [PMID: 308087]
Mol Endocrinol. 1996 Oct;10(10):1178-90 [PMID: 9121486]
Physiol Rev. 2001 Oct;81(4):1535-65 [PMID: 11581496]
Nucleic Acids Res. 2013 Apr;41(7):4036-48 [PMID: 23444138]
Mol Endocrinol. 2006 Nov;20(11):2724-33 [PMID: 16772530]
Curr Drug Targets Inflamm Allergy. 2005 Aug;4(4):455-63 [PMID: 16101522]
Immunity. 1997 Dec;7(6):803-12 [PMID: 9430225]
J Clin Invest. 2001 Feb;107(3):265-6 [PMID: 11160147]
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1991;40(4-6):661-71 [PMID: 1958564]
Bioessays. 1997 Feb;19(2):153-60 [PMID: 9046245]
J Reprod Immunol. 2001 Oct-Nov;52(1-2):113-27 [PMID: 11600182]
J Leukoc Biol. 2001 Mar;69(3):426-34 [PMID: 11261790]
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999 Jun 22;876:426-9 [PMID: 10415638]
Clin Transplant. 1999 Oct;13(5):365-74 [PMID: 10515216]
Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2010 Aug;21(4):275-86 [PMID: 20456998]
Int Immunopharmacol. 2015 Dec;29(2):591-598 [PMID: 26440402]
Endocr Rev. 2007 Aug;28(5):521-74 [PMID: 17640948]
Cell Immunol. 2013 Sep-Oct;285(1-2):133-40 [PMID: 24185279]
J Immunol. 2010 May 1;184(9):5029-37 [PMID: 20351193]
Bone. 2001 Jul;29(1):30-4 [PMID: 11472888]
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2016 May 02;7:37 [PMID: 27199894]
Blood. 2013 Feb 28;121(9):1553-62 [PMID: 23297131]
Semin Immunol. 2000 Oct;12(5):475-85 [PMID: 11085180]
FASEB J. 2007 Apr;21(4):1177-88 [PMID: 17215482]
Cell. 1990 Sep 21;62(6):1189-204 [PMID: 2169351]
Cancer Res. 2002 Nov 15;62(22):6519-28 [PMID: 12438246]
Nature. 1980 Apr 10;284(5756):555-6 [PMID: 6245367]
Endocr Rev. 2011 Feb;32(1):81-151 [PMID: 21051590]
J Immunol. 2008 Jan 1;180(1):630-6 [PMID: 18097065]
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999 Jun 22;876:102-17; discussion 117-8 [PMID: 10415599]
J Neurosci Res. 2002 Oct 15;70(2):238-48 [PMID: 12271473]
Br J Pharmacol. 1996 Jun;118(3):605-10 [PMID: 8762084]
Shock. 2008 Mar;29(3):362-71 [PMID: 17704735]
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2007 Sep 15;275(1-2):2-12 [PMID: 17628337]
Annu Rev Immunol. 1998;16:225-60 [PMID: 9597130]
Endocr Rev. 1996 Aug;17(4):369-84 [PMID: 8854050]
Eur J Immunol. 2000 Jul;30(7):1807-12 [PMID: 10940869]
Blood. 1999 Apr 15;93(8):2730-7 [PMID: 10194453]
Blood. 1999 Apr 1;93(7):2282-96 [PMID: 10090938]
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1997 Jul;62(4):233-42 [PMID: 9408077]
J Immunol. 2010 Jul 15;185(2):1169-76 [PMID: 20554954]
PLoS One. 2011;6(8):e24021 [PMID: 21904602]
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Jun;1024:138-46 [PMID: 15265778]
Mol Cell Biol. 2002 Nov;22(22):7929-41 [PMID: 12391160]
Allergy. 2017 Mar;72 (3):331-341 [PMID: 27646878]
J Biol Chem. 1993 Mar 15;268(8):5353-6 [PMID: 8449898]
Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2013 Aug;13(4):576-81 [PMID: 23731522]
FASEB J. 2010 Dec;24(12):5043-51 [PMID: 20798244]
Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2002 Oct;227(9):763-70 [PMID: 12324655]
Endocrinology. 1997 Jul;138(7):2900-8 [PMID: 9202234]
Mol Cell Biol. 2003 Aug;23 (16):5867-81 [PMID: 12897156]
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Mar 31;112(13):E1540-9 [PMID: 25775514]
Clin Exp Immunol. 1981 May;44(2):253-61 [PMID: 6458427]
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2001;495:31-9 [PMID: 11774584]
J Reprod Immunol. 2008 Jun;78(1):11-21 [PMID: 18006075]
J Biol Chem. 2006 Jul 28;281(30):21512-25 [PMID: 16728402]
Physiol Rev. 2007 Jul;87(3):905-31 [PMID: 17615392]
J Immunol. 2007 Nov 1;179(9):6284-90 [PMID: 17947704]
J Immunol. 2018 Jan 1;200(1):229-236 [PMID: 29133293]
Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1989 Dec;53(3):499-508 [PMID: 2805454]
Immunobiology. 2018 Apr - May;223(4-5):422-431 [PMID: 29223294]
Mol Immunol. 2007 Mar;44(7):1808-14 [PMID: 17046061]
Annu Rev Immunol. 2000;18:309-45 [PMID: 10837061]
Blood. 2007 May 1;109(9):3820-9 [PMID: 17209058]
Nature. 1987 Jan 22-28;325(6102):365-8 [PMID: 3808033]
PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e50167 [PMID: 23209664]
Cell Immunol. 2015 Apr;294(2):63-9 [PMID: 25682174]
J Immunol. 2016 Jun 15;196 (12 ):5005-13 [PMID: 27183615]
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Dec 21;96(26):15161-6 [PMID: 10611355]
Cell Rep. 2014 Apr 24;7(2):464-75 [PMID: 24703841]
Eur J Immunol. 2006 Aug;36(8):2139-49 [PMID: 16841298]
Cell. 2010 Mar 19;140(6):833-44 [PMID: 20303874]
J Immunol. 1991 Jun 15;146(12):4362-7 [PMID: 1904081]
Sci STKE. 2005 Jun 14;2005(288):pe27 [PMID: 15956359]
Eur J Med Res. 2010 Nov 4;15 Suppl 2:46-9 [PMID: 21147619]
Blood. 2010 Jul 22;116(3):446-55 [PMID: 20460503]
Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003 Jun-Aug;24(3-4):185-91 [PMID: 14523355]
J Clin Invest. 2001 Feb;107(3):371-8 [PMID: 11160161]
J Immunol. 2001 Aug 15;167(4):2060-7 [PMID: 11489988]
Nat Rev Immunol. 2017 Apr;17 (4):233-247 [PMID: 28192415]
J Endocrinol. 2006 Dec;191(3):525-35 [PMID: 17170211]
J Immunol. 2004 Aug 15;173(4):2227-30 [PMID: 15294932]
Mol Immunol. 2013 Dec;56(4):328-39 [PMID: 23911387]
Eur J Pharmacol. 2006 Jan 4;529(1-3):63-70 [PMID: 16325174]
Int J Biol Sci. 2017 Mar 11;13(4):434-448 [PMID: 28529452]
Arthritis Rheum. 1981 Aug;24(8):1054-6 [PMID: 6974552]
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2015 Nov 09;6:170 [PMID: 26617572]
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2011 Jun;300(6):R1443-51 [PMID: 21368271]
J Cell Physiol. 2008 Feb;214(2):456-64 [PMID: 17654501]
J Immunol. 2006 Mar 1;176(5):2703-10 [PMID: 16493025]
Autoimmunity. 2017 Sep;50(6):370-376 [PMID: 28675711]
J Biol Chem. 2014 May 9;289(19):13667-79 [PMID: 24692548]
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2010 May 31;120(2-3):105-15 [PMID: 20045727]
Cell. 1996 May 3;85(3):403-14 [PMID: 8616895]
Transplantation. 1999 May 27;67(10):1342-7 [PMID: 10360588]
Pharmacol Res. 2002 May;45(5):361-8 [PMID: 12123623]
J Rheumatol. 2005 Jul;32(7):1253-8 [PMID: 15996060]
Eur J Immunol. 2003 May;33(5):1282-91 [PMID: 12731053]
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2003 May;992:196-204 [PMID: 12794059]
Blood. 2008 Dec 1;112(12):4591-7 [PMID: 18791161]
Vitam Horm. 2001;62:231-52 [PMID: 11345900]
J Virol. 2014 May;88(9):4711-20 [PMID: 24522912]
Thymus. 1991 May;17(3):167-80 [PMID: 2063413]
Sci Rep. 2017 Dec 11;7(1):17289 [PMID: 29229929]
Blood. 2003 Jan 15;101(2):585-93 [PMID: 12393559]
Menopause. 2014 Jul;21(7):749-52 [PMID: 24253487]
J Biol Chem. 1997 May 30;272(22):14087-92 [PMID: 9162033]
Eur J Endocrinol. 2012 Apr;166(4):641-6 [PMID: 22219499]
Blood. 1995 Dec 1;86(11):4199-205 [PMID: 7492778]
Cell Immunol. 2004 Nov-Dec;232(1-2):57-63 [PMID: 15922716]
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Mar 14;97(6):2703-8 [PMID: 10694576]
J Immunol. 2011 Apr 1;186(7):4354-60 [PMID: 21357268]
Br J Pharmacol. 2000 May;130(2):289-98 [PMID: 10807665]
Clin Exp Immunol. 1981 May;44(2):247-52 [PMID: 6975672]
J Biol Chem. 2013 Aug 16;288(33):24020-34 [PMID: 23814048]
Annu Rev Physiol. 2005;67:259-84 [PMID: 15709959]
J Immunol. 2011 Jan 1;186(1):103-12 [PMID: 21135170]
Eur J Immunol. 2003 Feb;33(2):512-21 [PMID: 12645950]
Cytokine. 2001 May 21;14(4):208-17 [PMID: 11448120]
Int Immunol. 2007 Mar;19(3):337-43 [PMID: 17267414]
Br J Surg. 2010 Feb;97(2):281-93 [PMID: 20069608]
J Mol Endocrinol. 2016 Feb;56(2):R55-71 [PMID: 26826253]
Pharmacol Rev. 2000 Dec;52(4):513-56 [PMID: 11121509]
J Neuroimmunol. 2005 Dec 30;170(1-2):85-92 [PMID: 16253347]
Mol Pharmacol. 2007 Jan;71(1):132-44 [PMID: 17035596]
J Exp Med. 2001 Apr 2;193(7):803-14 [PMID: 11283153]
Cancer Res. 2008 Sep 15;68(18):7386-93 [PMID: 18794126]
Mol Cell Biol. 1995 Sep;15(9):4971-9 [PMID: 7651415]
Toxicol Lett. 2011 Jul 4;204(1):17-24 [PMID: 21501669]
Gastroenterology. 2009 Feb;136(2):530-41 [PMID: 18996377]
J Immunol. 2011 Mar 15;186(6):3346-55 [PMID: 21317386]
J Rheumatol. 2010 Dec;37(12):2502-10 [PMID: 20952465]
Immunology. 2011 Mar;132(3):340-7 [PMID: 21091909]
Nat Rev Immunol. 2016 Oct;16(10 ):626-38 [PMID: 27546235]
Mol Endocrinol. 1999 Feb;13(2):330-43 [PMID: 9973262]
Mol Endocrinol. 2008 Feb;22(2):263-72 [PMID: 17932106]
Prog Brain Res. 2010;182:1-30 [PMID: 20541659]
Shock. 2011 Mar;35(3):302-7 [PMID: 20926986]
Am J Pathol. 2012 Nov;181(5):1504-12 [PMID: 22959669]
Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Jan;29(1):42-54 [PMID: 29162310]
Clin Immunol. 2012 Jul;144(1):1-12 [PMID: 22659029]
Nucleic Acids Res. 2007;35(2):517-28 [PMID: 17169985]
Acta Neurol Scand. 2009 Oct;120(4):235-41 [PMID: 19769778]
Endocrinology. 1994 Jan;134(1):107-13 [PMID: 8275924]
Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 Nov;65(11):1512-7 [PMID: 16606650]
J Immunol. 2008 Mar 15;180(6):3661-9 [PMID: 18322171]
Am J Reprod Immunol. 1995 May;33(5):381-93 [PMID: 7576120]
Nature. 1996 Oct 24;383(6602):726-8 [PMID: 8878484]
Endocrinology. 2014 Feb;155(2):463-74 [PMID: 24196358]
Blood. 2015 Oct 8;126(15):1790-801 [PMID: 26276664]
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011 Nov;31(11):2749-59 [PMID: 21836070]
Curr Drug Targets. 2011 Apr;12(4):556-62 [PMID: 21504070]
J Immunol. 2008 Feb 1;180(3):1423-31 [PMID: 18209037]
FASEB J. 2017 Jul;31(7):3054-3065 [PMID: 28373208]
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2000 Nov 30;74(5):311-7 [PMID: 11162939]
Cell Death Differ. 2001 Feb;8(2):201-3 [PMID: 11313722]
Immunology. 1994 Jan;81(1):21-6 [PMID: 8132215]
Steroids. 2011 Jan;76(1-2):118-24 [PMID: 20933533]
Mol Cell Biol. 1993 Jun;13(6):3782-91 [PMID: 8497279]
Respir Res. 2010 Nov 30;11:166 [PMID: 21118573]
J Immunol. 2015 May 15;194(10):4940-50 [PMID: 25876761]
Blood. 2004 Jul 1;104(1):215-23 [PMID: 15031210]
Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2016 Apr-Jun;52(2):205-12 [PMID: 27364395]
Science. 1988 Apr 15;240(4850):324-6 [PMID: 3353726]
Mol Endocrinol. 1998 Jan;12 (1):45-56 [PMID: 9440809]
Injury. 2011 Jul;42(7):638-42 [PMID: 20709317]
Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2011 Sep;4(9):1426-35 [PMID: 21680705]
J Immunol. 2013 Jun 1;190(11):5459-70 [PMID: 23626011]
J Biol Chem. 1997 Dec 5;272(49):30607-10 [PMID: 9388192]
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1998 Oct;19(4):598-605 [PMID: 9761756]
Int J Neurosci. 1990 Apr;51(3-4):315-7 [PMID: 2126259]
Annu Rev Immunol. 2010;28:445-89 [PMID: 20192806]
Am J Gastroenterol. 1998 Nov;93(11):2197-202 [PMID: 9820396]
J Exp Med. 1992 May 1;175(5):1409-12 [PMID: 1569406]
J Immunol. 2005 Oct 15;175(8):5050-7 [PMID: 16210608]
J Immunol. 2001 Aug 15;167(4):1886-90 [PMID: 11489967]
Journal Article Review

Word Cloud

Similar Articles

Cited By