الفهرس 
Sex hermones and immunesystemOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
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INIRODUCTION & ATh’1 OF THE WORK
Paltl, 1994 stated that sex hormones play roles in the palhogt!l’I~sis of
orne au~oill1l11une diseases. He also ~eported ,hal 3lthough. there is wellknowa
female preponderance of several autoimmulle diseases. there are
others without preference for either sex. and stil] others ure characterized
by a distinct mul~ prepQoderance e.g. auloilnmune nephropathies and diabeLCS
me iiinrs.
Experimental studies have shown that estrogen at.!mln’lstr:.tion can ennance
some uumimmune processes. whereas androgen therapy s.uppres:;.::s
’he’ll (Lallita, 1987).
Studies have $ul:;gested that androgen levels might be of gre3ter imp<lrlance
10 the integrity of the immune sySlem \han was previously thougbt.
The description of Hr<.U>sodil1edgenes for testosterone oxida”~on indicat<:s
that te-stostero!l~ metabolism is linked 10 the immune function (lvatryi et
aI, 1983),
The work of Lahita et at, 1987 declared that plasma androgens
were lower in female SLE pati.ents than in male· SLE patients. or in
normel subjects of either sex. such decreases in plasma androgens could
be associated with groupS whose clinical & serologicnlacti vity were
greatest.
Theclinicul and experimental data, strongly suggest that the responsiveness
of macro phages to differed concenrratioDsof estrogen could play
a leey role in inunuBopathogenesis of rheumatoidarthntis (Poulter Qnd
]anossy, 1985).
The aim of this work is to shed light on the role played by sex hormones
in different autoimmune diseases and to study their relation with
the disease activity and severity.