Effect of Female Sex Hormones on the Immune Response against Chlamydia abortus and on Protection Conferred by an Inactivated Experimental Vaccine in a Mouse Model

Mice are valuable models extensively used to test vaccine candidates against Chlamydia abortus and to clarify immunopathological mechanisms of the bacteria. As this pathogen has the ability to reactivate during pregnancy, it is important to deepen the knowledge and understanding of some of the effects of female hormones on immunity and vaccination. This study is aimed at describing the role of sex hormones in the pathology of OEA during chlamydial clearance using ovariectomised mice and also gaining an understanding of how 17β-oestradiol or progesterone may impact the effectiveness of vaccination. Animals were treated with sex hormones and infected with C. abortus, and the kinetics of infection and immune response were analysed by means of bacterial isolation, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. In a second phase of the study, protection conferred by an experimental vaccine after hormone treatment was assessed. Oestradiol showed a stimulatory effect on the immune response during infection, with a more efficient recruitment of macrophages and T-cells at the infection site. Furthermore, after vaccination, oestradiol-treated animals showed a stronger protection against infection, indicating that this hormone has a positive effect, stimulating a specific memory response to the pathogen.

Sex Hormone-Specific Neuroanatomy of Takotsubo Syndrome: Is the Insular Cortex a Moderator?

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), a transient form of dysfunction in the heart’s left ventricle, occurs predominantly in postmenopausal women who have emotional stress. Earlier studies support the concept that the human circulatory system is modulated by a cortical network (consisting of the anterior cingulate gyrus, amygdala, and insular cortex (Ic)) that plays a pivotal role in the central autonomic nervous system in relation to emotional stressors. The Ic plays a crucial role in the sympathovagal balance, and decreased levels of female sex hormones have been speculated to change functional cerebral asymmetry, with a possible link to autonomic instability. In this review, we focus on the Ic as an important moderator of the human brain–heart axis in association with sex hormones. We also summarize the current knowledge regarding the sex-specific neuroanatomy in TTS.

Insights into the perspective correlation between vitamin D and regulation of hormones: sex hormones and prolactin

Aim. Vitamin D is currently an exciting research target, besides its obvious role in calcium homeostasis and bone health, enormous work is being directed at examining the effects of this vitamin on various biological functions and pathological conditions. Material and methods. The review of the literature and the analysis took about six months and was carried out through PubMed. This is a search engine opening mainly the MEDLINE database of trusted references. We called up all studies written in English that were published between the years 2004 to 2021 and that came through using the applied search terms, and analysed all those that met the criteria. Results. The endocrine system with its many glands and hormones and their essential roles in the maintenance of normal body functioning cannot be far from interactions with vitamin D. Male and female sex hormones are no exceptions and many studies have investigated the correlations between these hormones and vitamin D. As such, direct and indirect relationships have been found between vitamin D, its receptors or one of its metabolising enzymes with sex hormones and the development of reproductive organs in males and females. Conclusion. This review summarises the research investigating the associations of vitamin D with sex hormones and reproductive organs in males and females, and thus may pave the road for future studies that will investigate the clinical significance of vitamin D in the management of reproductive system disorders. Despite some conflicting results about the relationship between VD and the effectiveness of the reproductive system, many studies confirm the presence of receptors for this vitamin in the reproductive system, and this supports the direct or indirect relationship between VD and prolactin or VD and testosterone through PO4 and Ca2+ homeostasis, or production of osteocalcin. Therefore, VD is positively associated with semen quality and androgen status. Furthermore, a direct relationship between VD and the production of progesterone, estrogen and estrone in human ovarian cells has been supported by many studies.

Menopause modulates the circulating metabolome: evidence from a prospective cohort study

Aims: We studied the changes in the circulating metabolome and their relation to the menopausal hormonal shift in 17β-oestradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone levels among women transitioning from perimenopause to early postmenopause. Methods and Results: We analysed longitudinal data from 218 Finnish women, 35 of whom started menopausal hormone therapy during the study. The menopausal transition was monitored with menstrual diaries and serum hormone measurements. The median follow-up was 14 months (interquartile range: 8–20). Serum metabolites were quantified with targeted nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics. The model results were adjusted for age, follow-up duration, education, lifestyle, and multiple comparisons. Menopause was associated with 84 metabolite measures. The concentration of apoB (0.17 standard deviation [SD], 99.5% confidence interval [CI] 0.03–0.31), VLDL triglycerides (0.25 SD, CI 0.05–0.45) and particles (0.21 SD, CI 0.05–0.36), LDL cholesterol (0.17 SD, CI 0.01–0.34) and particles (0.17 SD, CI 0.03–0.31), HDL triglycerides (0.24 SD, CI 0.02–0.46), glycerol (0.32 SD, CI 0.07–0.58) and leucine increased (0.25 SD, CI 0.02–0.49). Citrate (-0.36 SD, CI -0.57 to -0.14) and 3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations decreased (-0.46 SD, CI -0.75 to -0.17). Most metabolite changes were associated with the menopausal hormonal shift. This explained 10% and 9% of the LDL cholesterol and particle concentration increase, respectively. Menopausal hormone therapy was associated with increased medium-to-large HDL particle count and decreased small-to-medium LDL particle and glycine concentration. Conclusions: Menopause is associated with proatherogenic circulating metabolome alterations. Female sex hormones levels are connected to the alterations, highlighting their impact on women's cardiovascular health.

Vascular Stiffness in Aging and Disease

The goal of this review is to provide further understanding of increased vascular stiffness with aging, and how it contributes to the adverse effects of major human diseases. Differences in stiffness down the aortic tree are discussed, a topic requiring further research, because most prior work only examined one location in the aorta. It is also important to understand the divergent effects of increased aortic stiffness between males and females, principally due to the protective role of female sex hormones prior to menopause. Another goal is to review human and non-human primate data and contrast them with data in rodents. This is particularly important for understanding sex differences in vascular stiffness with aging as well as the changes in vascular stiffness before and after menopause in females, as this is controversial. This area of research necessitates studies in humans and non-human primates, since rodents do not go through menopause. The most important mechanism studied as a cause of age-related increases in vascular stiffness is an alteration in the vascular extracellular matrix resulting from an increase in collagen and decrease in elastin. However, there are other mechanisms mediating increased vascular stiffness, such as collagen and elastin disarray, calcium deposition, endothelial dysfunction, and the number of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Populations with increased longevity, who live in areas called “Blue Zones,” are also discussed as they provide additional insights into mechanisms that protect against age-related increases in vascular stiffness. Such increases in vascular stiffness are important in mediating the adverse effects of major cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes, but require further research into their mechanisms and treatment.

The effect of serial administration of doxorubicin at the level of main female sex hormones in the experiment

Annotation. The article presents the results of an experimental study of the dynamics of changes in the main female sex hormones with serial use of doxorubicin. The experiments were performed on 45 adult female white rats. The levels of antimullerian hormone, estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone were studied. In total, 4 courses of chemotherapy were performed with an interval of 3 weeks. After each course of chemotherapy, the hormonal status of the experimental animals was studied twice: during the first proestrus after the course (to determine the acute ovarian toxicity of the drug) and during the last proestrus before the next course of chemotherapy (to study ovarian function restoration). The obtained data were processed using the statistical software package SPSS 20.0 for Windows. The dynamics of the levels of studied sex hormones with serial administration of doxorubicin is characterized by wavy dynamics with deterioration immediately after chemotherapy and partial recovery during the period between adjacent courses. Ovariotoxicity of doxorubicin when serial administration in therapeutic doses in the experiment is manifested by significant changes in the levels of major female sex hormones after the second course of chemotherapy.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with dydrogesterone use

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is characterised by left ventricular apical ballooning, in the absence of coronary artery disease, and classically occurs at times of intense stress. Due to the striking preponderance of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy occurring in postmenopausal women, it has been postulated that female sex hormones may also be implicated in its pathogenesis. This case report describes the first case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with the initiation of dydrogesterone (a synthetic retroprogesterone) in a premenopausal woman.

Oestrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor Expression on Epithelial Tumours of Ovary and Correlation with Their Clinicopathological Features

BACKGROUND Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most lethal malignancies. Their histogenesis and complex pathogenesis remain largely unknown in spite of the many studies and research carried out in the field. The receptors for female sex hormones are implicated in the pathogenesis of ovarian tumours in many studies. This concept points out the necessity of developing a highly affected targeted therapy, which requires a proper understanding of the pathogenesis of the tumours. This study was done to evaluate the expression of these receptors on the primary epithelial tumours of the ovary and explore the possible correlation with clinical and pathological features. METHODS A hundred cases of primary epithelial tumours of the ovary were selected; tissue samples were taken from appropriate areas and processed. Tissues were cut into sections of three to five-micron thickness. Sections from the tissues were stained and examined. Once the histological type was clear, the receptor expression was assessed with immunohistochemistry markers. RESULTS Among the hundred tumours studied, serous tumours were the commonest, accounting for 65 % followed by mucinous tumours which constituted 34 %. Clear cell tumours accounted for 1 %. Endometrioid and transitional cell tumours were still rarer. Among these, oestrogen receptor (ER) was expressed in 78.5 % of serous tumours and progesterone receptor (PR) was expressed in 64.6 % of serous tumours. CONCLUSIONS Serous tumours were seen to show maximum expression of the hormone receptors among the surface tumours of ovaries. Furthermore, the expression of the receptors was more consistently seen in high-grade tumours. This finding may be of help in designing personalized hormone therapy in epithelial tumours. KEY WORDS Surface Epithelial Tumours, Receptors, ER, PR.

Does exogenous female sex hormone administration affect the rate of tooth movement and root resorption? A systematic review of animal studies

Background The long-term use of contraceptive methods that contain estrogens, progestogens or combinations of the above among women aged 15 to 49 years is extensive. Both estrogens and progestogens affect bone metabolism. Objective To systematically investigate and appraise the quality of the available evidence from animal studies regarding the impact of exogenous administration of female sex hormones on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement and root resorption. Search methods Search without restriction in seven databases (including grey literature) and hand searching were performed until May 2021. Selection criteria We looked for controlled animal studies investigating the effect from exogenous administration of formulations containing female sex hormones on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement and root resorption. Data collection and analysis After study retrieval and selection, relevant data was extracted, and the risk of bias was assessed using the SYRCLE’s Risk of Bias Tool. The quality of available evidence was assessed with the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Results Three studies were identified, all being at unclear risk of bias. Overall, administration of progesterone and the combinations of estradiol with norgestrel and desogestrel were shown to significantly decrease the rate of orthodontic tooth movement when given for longer periods (>3 weeks). Inconsistent information was detected for shorter periods of consumption. Estradiol, with desogestrel use, resulted in less root resorption. The quality of the available evidence was considered to be low. Conclusions Exogenous administration of female sex hormones may decelerate in the long term the rate of tooth movement and decrease orthodontically induced root resorption in animals. Until more information becomes available, an orthodontist should be able to identify a patient consuming such substances and understand the potential clinical implications and adverse effects that may arise. Registration PROSPERO: CRD42017078208; https://clinicaltrials.gov/.

Sex and Gender Differences in Kidney Cancer: Clinical and Experimental Evidence

Sex and gender disparities have been reported for different types of non-reproductive cancers. Males are two times more likely to develop kidney cancer than females and have a higher death rate. These differences can be explained by looking at genetics and genomics, as well as other risk factors such as hypertension and obesity, lifestyle, and female sex hormones. Examination of the hormonal signaling pathways bring further insights into sex-related differences. Sex and gender-based disparities can be observed at the diagnostic, histological and treatment levels, leading to significant outcome difference. This review summarizes the current knowledge about sex and gender-related differences in the clinical presentation of patients with kidney cancer and the possible biological mechanisms that could explain these observations. Underlying sex-based differences may contribute to the development of sex-specific prognostic and diagnostic tools and the improvement of personalized therapies.