EFFECTS OF THE SEX-HORMONES ON THE AUTOIM MUNE-DISEASES

There is increasing body of evidence to suggest that sex hormones may be closely involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases in huma ns. In the present article we discuss heteroimmune response diferences between males and females and the roles of gender and sex hormones in autoimmune diseases in various species. The general conclusions are t he following. Androgens and perhaps progestogens may protect from auto immune disease; however oestrogens seems to have a dualistic effect on the immune system. Is has been demonstrated that oestrogens supress a ntigen-specific T-cell dependent immune reactions while enhance B-cell activities.