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Physiological dose of estrogen regulates extrathymic T cells in female mice
T Yahata1, T Kurabayashi, A Honda
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract:
Bilateral ovariectomy was performed in female C57BL/6 mice to investigate whether extrathymic T cells in the liver are regulated by physiological doses of estrogen or progesterone. Extrathymic T cells were identified using a two-color immunofluorescence test for CD3 and interleukin-2 receptor beta-chain (IL-2R beta) antigens. The T cells were identified as intermediate CD3+ cells with a high expression of IL-2R beta. It was further demonstrated that the proportion and number of intermediate CD3+ cells decreased in response to ovariectomy, an effect that was countered by estrogen administration. These results suggest that the activation of extrathymic T cells may be regulated by physiological levels of estrogen.