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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 293/3/C1120    most recent 00286.2006v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by de Oliveira, A. P. L. Articles by de Lima, W. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by de Oliveira, A. P. L. Articles by de Lima, W. T.

RECEPTORS AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION

Cellular recruitment and cytokine generation in a rat model of allergic lung inflammation are differentially modulated by progesterone and estradiol

¹Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo; and ²Department of Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Language Studies and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil

Submitted 23 May 2006 ; accepted in final form 28 June 2007

We evaluated the role of estradiol and progesterone in allergic lung inflammation. Rats were ovariectomized (Ovx) and, 7 days later, were sensitized with ovalbumin (OA) and challenged after 2 wk with inhaled OA; experiments were performed 1 day thereafter. Ovx-allergic rats showed reduced cell recruitment into the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid relative to sham-Ovx allergic rats, as was observed in intact allergic rats treated with ICI-182,780. Estradiol increased the number of cells in the BAL of Ovx-allergic rats, whereas progesterone induced an additional reduction. Cells of BAL and bone marrow (BM) of Ovx-allergic rats released elevated amounts of IL-10 and reduced IL-1 and TNF-. BM cells of Ovx-allergic rats released increased amounts of IL-10 and lower amounts of IL-4. Estradiol treatment of Ovx-allergic rats decreased the release of IL-10 but increased that of IL-4 by BM cells. Estradiol also caused an increased release of IL-1 and TNF- by BAL cells. Progesterone significantly increased the release of IL-10, IL-1, and TNF- by BAL cells and augmented that of IL-4 by BM cells. Degranulation of bronchial mast cells from Ovx rats was reduced after in vitro challenge, an effect reverted by estradiol but not by progesterone. We suggest that the serum estradiol-to-progesterone ratio might drive cellular recruitment, modulating the pulmonary allergy and profile of release of anti-inflammatory or inflammatory cytokines. The existence of such dual hormonal effects suggests that the hormone therapy of asthmatic postmenopausal women and of those suffering of premenstrual asthma should take into account the possibility of worsening the pulmonary conditions.

asthma; eosinophils

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