1. Sexual dimorphisms in the immune system of catechol-O-methyltransferase knockout mice.
- Author
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Stubelius A, Wilhelmson AS, Gogos JA, Tivesten A, Islander U, and Carlsten H
- Subjects
- 2-Methoxyestradiol, Animals, B-Lymphocytes metabolism, Catechol O-Methyltransferase genetics, Cell Proliferation, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Estradiol analogs & derivatives, Estradiol chemistry, Estradiol metabolism, Female, Immune System cytology, Immunoglobulins metabolism, Male, Mice, Mice, 129 Strain, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Knockout, Molecular Structure, Neutrophils enzymology, Neutrophils metabolism, Organ Size, Sex Factors, Single-Cell Analysis, Spleen cytology, Spleen enzymology, Spleen metabolism, T-Lymphocytes metabolism, Uterus growth & development, B-Lymphocytes immunology, Catechol O-Methyltransferase metabolism, Immune System enzymology, T-Lymphocytes enzymology
- Abstract
The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is part of the metabolic pathway of 17β-estradiol, converting 2-hydroxyestradiol to 2-methoxyestradiol. We recently showed that administration of the COMT product 2-methoxyestradiol has anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoporotic effects. We have now investigated whether COMT affects the immune system, by immunologically phenotyping COMT deficient (COMT(-/-)) mice. Immunoglobulin production, T lymphocyte proliferation, NK cell cytotoxicity and oxygen radical production were assessed. In male COMT(-/-)-mice, the total number of T-, and B-lymphocytes from spleen increased but the T-cell proliferative response decreased. The NK cell population shifted toward less mature cells, leaving cytotoxic capacity unaffected. In COMT(-/-)-females, a higher frequency of neutrophils was found but the oxygen radical production was unaltered. In conclusion, only minor changes of the immune system were seen in COMT deficient mice, and the changes were usually seen in males. This study provides clues into how COMT activity, and hence gender differences, affects the immune system., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2012
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