Open Access

ARTICLE

Short-term sequential analysis of sex hormones and helper T cells type 1 (Th1) and helper T cells type 2 (Th2) cytokines during and after multiple sclerosis relapse

Clara de Andrés¹, M. Carmen Rodríguez-Sáinz, M. Angeles Muñoz-Fernández, Nieves López-Lazareno², Margarita Rodríguez-Mahou, Angeles Vicente³, Eduardo Fernández-Cruz, Silvia Sánchez-Ramón

Departments of Neurology¹ , Biochemistry² and Immunology, University General Hospital “Gregorio Marañón”, Madrid, Spain. Biology Dept., Complutense University of Madrid School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain³

* Corresponding Author: Clara De Andrés,

European Cytokine Network 2004, 15(3), 197-202.

Accepted 11 June 2004;

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease with a clear sex-bias that may be attributed to sex hormones, sex’ linked genes or both. Here we sought to determine the evolution pattern of cortisol and sex hormones at MS relapse and 2-months later in 7 male patients with relapsing remitting MS, and whether there was a correlation with a specific Th1 and Th2 cytokine pattern. Our findings indicate the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the concomitant upregulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines during relapse. The further increase of sex hormones, in particular estradiol in our male MS patients suggest their possible implication in the physiopathology of the illness and a putative anti-inflammatory and neuroreparatory effect.

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Keywords

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