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Postmenopausal changes in serum cytokine levels and hormone replacement therapy
M Kamada1, M Irahara, M Maegawa
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokushima, and the Cellular Technology Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd, Tokushima, Japan.
Objective:
Our purpose was to investigate the effect of hormone replacement therapy on the postmenopausal changes in serum cytokine levels.
Study Design:
Fifteen cytokines were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 97 untreated and hormone replacement-treated women. Thirteen women were examined before and during hormone replacement therapy.
Results:
Serum concentrations of macrophage colony-stimulating factor were significantly (P < .05) lower during the early postmenopausal period (< or = 10 years) than the values in premenopause and the elevated levels in the late postmenopausal period (< or = 30 years). A significant increase in tumor necrosis factor alpha and a decline in transforming growth factor beta1 were found in late postmenopausal women. Serum levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor in women receiving hormone replacement therapy were significantly higher than those in untreated postmenopausal women. Furthermore, hormone replacement therapy induced a significant (P < .01) increase in serum levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor, whereas serum levels of other cytokines were not affected.
Conclusion:
It is well documented that macrophage colony-stimulating factor lowers serum cholesterol concentrations and prevents atherosclerosis. Inducing the production of macrophage colony-stimulating factor is a possible additional mechanism of hormone replacement therapy in mediating the antiatherogenic effect.