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Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates

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RISING STARS: Androgens and immune cell function.

Rebecca J Ainslie¹, Ioannis Simitsidellis¹, Phoebe M Kirkwood¹

¹Institute for Regeneration and Repair, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

The Journal of Endocrinology

|April 5, 2024

Summary

Androgens modulate immune cell function, impacting inflammatory conditions. Their precise effects are complex and context-dependent, requiring further research into endocrine-immune signaling pathways.

Keywords:

androgen androgen receptor immune system inflammatory diseases testosterone

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Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Immunology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Androgens influence immune cell function, potentially affecting inflammatory disease prevalence and severity.
The precise mechanisms by which androgen bioavailability impacts immune responses remain incompletely understood.
Immune cells are key targets of androgens, influencing their composition, phenotype, and activation.

Purpose of the Study:

To summarize current knowledge on how androgens alter immune cell function.
To explore the implications of androgen-mediated immune modulation in health and disease.
To highlight the need for further research into the molecular pathways at the endocrine-immune interface.

Main Methods:

This is a narrative review.
Literature search and synthesis of existing research on androgens and immune function.
Analysis of studies investigating androgen effects on innate and adaptive immune cells.

Main Results:

Androgens generally exert suppressive effects on the immune system, though this is context-dependent.
Innate immune cells (neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages) show increased IL-10 and decreased nitric oxide production in response to androgens.
Androgens influence T cell differentiation and cytokine production (IFNG, IL-4, IL-5) and promote B cell maturation.

Conclusions:

Androgens act as significant immunomodulatory agents.
Understanding the nuanced, cell-specific effects of androgens on immunity is crucial for comprehending inflammatory conditions.
Further investigation into the molecular mechanisms governing androgen-endocrine-immune interactions is warranted.