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Cytokine pattern in postmenopause
Michele Cioffi1, Katherine Esposito, Maria Teresa Vietri
1Patologia clinica, Dipartimento di Patologia Generale, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via S. Andrea delle Dame, 2-80138, Naples, Italy. michele.cioffi@unina2.it
Objective:
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pattern of serum cytokine production in postmenopausal women and the relationship with the hormonal status. A group of fertile women served as controls.
Methods:
Eighty-two women in apparent good health, non-smokers and without a history of hormone replacement therapy, were enrolled for the study. The women were divided in two groups according to their hormonal status: fertile women (n=34, age 32 +/- 7 years) and postmenopausal women (n=48, age 54 +/- 8 years). Blood samples were withdrawn in the morning, after an overnight fast.
Results:
Sex hormones (LH, FSH, Estradiol, Progesterone, DHEA, DHEA-S), as well as GH and IGF-1 levels, were significantly higher in the serum of fertile women as compared with their postmenopausal counterparts. Unlike IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12 and IFN-gamma, significant differences were observed in serum IL-6, IL-18, TNFalpha and TNFbeta between groups: both IL-6 and IL-18 were higher in postmenopausal women, while TNFalpha and TNFbeta were significantly lower. There was an inverse relationship between serum DHEA and DHEA-S levels and both IL-6 (r= -0.46, P<0.02) or IL-18 (r= -0.38, P<0.05) serum concentrations.
Conclusions:
Compared with fertile counterparts, women in postmenopause present an alteration in serum cytokine profile suggesting a prevalence of Th2 lymphocytes.