Oestradiol (E2) alters lymphocyte functionin vitroincluding T cell DNA synthesis and B cell immunoglobulin production in human tonsillar, splenic and peripheral blood cells. We have investigated whether one mechanism for this effect is that E2modifies the expression of IL-2, IL-6 and IFN-γ mRNA in human tonsillar mononuclear cells. Without E2, addition of PHA (1 μg ml−1) for 10 h increased the expression of IL-2 and IL-6 mRNA but had no significant effect on IFN-γ mRNA. In separated T cells after 24 h incubation, E2(7×10−8M) increased only the IFN-γ mRNA levels. However, when E2was present in PHA-stimulated T cell cultures, mRNA levels from all cytokines were suppressed. E2decreased IL-2 mRNA levels in the T cell preparation after 24 h culture. For IL-6, E2decreased mRNA both in mononuclear cells and T cells after 10 h incubation. For IFN-γ, E2decreased mRNA levels in the mononuclear cell preparation after 24 h culture. Stimulation of the T cell preparation with PHA after 24 h incubation with E2decreased the IFN-γ mRNA levels compared to the cultures incubated with E2only. One part of the action of E2may be through a block in the up-regulation of the mRNA of IL-2, IL-6 and IFN-γ in acti
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