Pc. Ho et al., LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS AND SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN PATIENTS WITH PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE BEFORE AND AFTER ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT, Human reproduction, 8(5), 1993, pp. 714-716
We have previously demonstrated that in patients with oestrogen defici
ency, there was a significant reduction in the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ l
ymphocytes. To test our hypothesis that oestrogen deficiency was the c
ause of the changes in lymphocyte subsets, we have studied the lymphoc
yte subsets and serum immunoglobulin levels in 35 patients with idiopa
thic premature ovarian failure before and after oestrogen replacement
therapy. Before oestrogen replacement the lymphocyte subsets in periph
eral blood were enumerated with indirect immunofluorescence techniques
using monoclonal antibodies. The serum immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A and
M were measured with nephelometry. After oestrogen replacement therapy
, the tests were repeated around day 7-11 of the 2nd, 4th and 24th mon
th. There was no significant change in any of these parameters by the
2nd or 4th months. After 2 years of oestrogen replacement, there was a
significant decrease in the percentage of CD8+ cells, a significant i
ncrease in the CD4:CD8 ratio and a significant increase in the mean se
rum IgG concentration. There was no significant change in the other pa
rameters. Our results support the hypothesis that oestrogen deficiency
is the cause for the changes in the lymphocyte subsets.