High prevalence of increased interleukin-17A serum levels in postmenopausal estrogen deficiency

• Published in: Menopause (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 21; no. 7; p. 749
• Main Authors: Molnár, Ildikó, Bohaty, Ilona, Somogyiné-Vári, Éva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Cardiovascular Diseases - immunology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Estradiol - blood; Estrogens - deficiency; Female; Humans; Interleukin-17 - blood; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - immunology; Postmenopause - immunology; Premenopause - immunology; Prevalence
• ISSN: 1530-0374
• DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000125

Postmenopausal estrogen deficiency is associated with chronic inflammatory events that cause cardiovascular and osteoporosis diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between interleukin (IL)-17 and serum estradiol levels, age, and postmenopausal duration, as well as bone loss. The relationship between serum IL-17A and estradiol levels was studied in 72 postmenopausal women and 22 premenopausal women. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescence were used to detect IL-17A and estradiol, respectively. Estradiol levels were significantly higher and IL-17A levels were significantly lower in premenopausal women compared with postmenopausal women (estradiol: 239.44 [226.17] vs 74.21 [4.44] pmol/L, P < 0.0001; IL-17A: 2.88 [0.08] vs 3.5 [0.56] ng/mL, P < 0.0001). Seventy-eight of 94 women had lower estradiol levels (<83 pmol/L) with elevated IL-17A levels, in comparison with 16 women who had normal estrogen levels (3.43 [0.56] vs 3.01 [0.38] ng/mL, P < 0.0001). IL-17A levels inversely correlated with the total lumbar T-scores calculated in all women (P < 0.0001). IL-17A levels showed age-related dependency and a remarkable association with the postmenopausal period (P < 0.03). The results demonstrate a high prevalence of increased serum IL-17A levels in postmenopausal estrogen deficiency, which can play an inducing role in chronic inflammatory events such as bone loss.