Estrogen and Autoimmune Disease

• Published in: Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 60 - 65
• Main Author: Walker, Sara E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York New York : Humana Press Inc 01-02-2011; Humana Press Inc; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Allergology; Antiinflammatory agents; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - immunology; Autoimmune diseases; Autoimmune Diseases - immunology; Autoimmunity; Estrogen; Estrogens; Estrogens - immunology; Female; Hormones; Humans; Immunology; Internal Medicine; Lupus; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - immunology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Multiple sclerosis; Osteoporosis; Phenols; Post-menopause; Postmenopausal women; Pregnancy; Reviews; Rheumatoid arthritis; Rheumatoid factor; Sjogren's syndrome; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Autoimmunity; Multiple sclerosis; Sjogren’s syndrome; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Rheumatoid arthritis; Estrogen
• ISSN: 1080-0549; 1559-0267
• DOI: 10.1007/s12016-010-8199-x

Estrogenic hormones possess both immunostimulating and immunosuppressive properties. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pregnancy is associated with disease flares. In some situations, exogenous estrogen predisposes to development of new SLE, flares of preexisting SLE, and thromboses in susceptible individuals. In contrast, treatment with exogenous estrogen protects postmenopausal rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from active RA and osteoporosis. The search for estrogen-like compounds with anti-inflammatory properties may expand treatment options in RA.