Changes in serum cytokine concentrations during the menopausal transition

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Immunology
• Women's Health

Background:

• The menopausal transition is characterized by significant hormonal shifts, particularly declining estrogen levels.
• Cytokines play a crucial role in immune regulation and inflammatory processes.
• Understanding cytokine dynamics during menopause is essential for women's health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alterations in 17 serum cytokines during the menopausal transition in healthy women.
• To examine the relationship between serum cytokine concentrations and estradiol levels.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous measurement of 17 cytokines using a multiplexed assay (Bio-Plex human cytokine 17-Plex).
• Serum samples from premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women were analyzed.
• Correlation analysis was performed between cytokine levels and serum estradiol concentration.

Main Results:

• Serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6) showed a weak positive correlation with age.
• Significant increases in Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF), and Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) were observed in early postmenopausal women.
• Interleukin-4 (IL-4) increased significantly in women more than 5 years post-menopause.
• Serum estradiol concentration was negatively correlated with IL-6 and weakly with IL-2, IL-8, and GM-CSF.

Conclusions:

• Multiplex cytokine assays enable simultaneous measurement of multiple analytes.
• Serum cytokine profiles exhibit distinct changes during the menopausal transition.
• Serum IL-6 concentration is negatively associated with estradiol levels throughout the menopausal transition.