This paper reviews the mechanism of sex hormone actions on the thymus, presenting mainly our data obtained at the cellular and molecular levels. First, data supporting the "genomic" action via the nuclear sex hormone receptor complexes are as follows: 1) sex hormone receptors and the thymic factor (thymulin) are co-localized in thymic epithelial cells, but not in T cells; 2) production/expressi...

Background: Leptin, a 16-KDa peptide hormone secreted from theadipose tissue, plays an important role in the regulation of energyintake and expenditure and body weight regulation; furthermore,it has a regulatory function on the reproductive system. The aimof this study was to assess the relationship between serum leptinlevels and sex hormones in psoriatic patients and control groupand to determ...

In addition to their effects on sexual differentiation and reproduction, sex hormones appear to influence the immune system. This results in a sexual dimorphism in the immune response in humans: for instance, females produce more vigorous cellular and more vigorous humoral immune reactions, are more resistant to certain infections, and suffer a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases. Disease e...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disproportionately affect females compared to males, with female to male prevalence ratios of 7-9:1 for SLE and 2-3:1 for RA. Interestingly, epidemiologic studies indicate that men that develop SLE may have more morbidity than women, but the same is not true for RA. Given the sex and age bias of SLE and RA, sex hormones may influe...

1. A study of 150 middle-aged male industrial employees has shown significant positive correlations between plasma levels of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and both serum testosterone and alcohol intake, and significant negative correlations between HDL cholesterol and both serum thyroxine and obesity. These associations persist when examined by multiple linear regression, indicatin...

Hormones are specific regulatory molecules that have potent effects on the major determinants of the development and the integrity of the skeleton and oral cavity including periodontal tissues. Sex hormones have long been considered to play an influential role on periodontal tissues, bone turnover rate, wound healing and periodontal disease progression. This review focuses on the effects of end...

Introduction: Sex differences are observed in the development of tolerance to antinociceptive effect of opioid drugs such as morphine, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Critical role of glutamate in the development and maintenance of opioid tolerance has been reported by many investigators. There are also evidences about interaction between gonadal hormones and neuromodulatory sy...