Table 1. Influence of sex hormones on SLE and their effects.
| Sex hormones | Regulation | Performance | Effects in SLE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estrogens | Ifi202↑, Unc93b1↑, or Irf5↑ | IFN-α↑, type 1 IFN↑ | Pathogenic effect |
| Bcl-2↑, CD22↑, SHP-1↑, VCAM-1↑, PTPN6↑, BAFF↑ | Survival of auto-reactive B cells↑ | ||
| AICDA↑, HOXC4↑ | Pathogenic IgG auto-antibodies↑ | ||
| ER-α↑, ER-β↑, CD154↑, calcineurin↑ | Differentiation of CD4+ Th cells↑ | ||
| Progesterone | IRF-7 activation↑ | IFN-α↓, type 1 IFN↓ | Protective effects |
| IFN-γ↓, suppressing the transcription of AICDA | Pathogenic IgG auto-antibodies↓ | ||
| Inhibit IL-12 signaling | Induce Th2-type immunologic response and suppress Th1-type response | ||
| Androgens | Ifi202↓ | Type 1 IFN↓ | Protective effects |
| Bcl-2↓ | Survival of auto-reactive B cells↓, TGF-β1↑ | ||
| Inhibit Ig class switching | Pathogenic IgG auto-antibodies↓ | ||
| Inhibit IL-12 signaling | Th1 differentiation of CD4+ T cells↓ | ||
| Prolactin (PRL) | BCR-mediated clonal deletion, B cell apoptosis↓ | Survival of auto-reactive B cells↑ | Pathogenic effect |
| INF-γ↑, IL-12↑, IL-2↑, CD40L↑ | CD4+ T cell activation | ||
| Ig synthesis↑, anti-dsDNA antibodies↑ |
Note:
Abbreviation: LHRH, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone; GnRH, gonadotropin releasing hormone.