Work

Testosterone exerts selective anti‐inflammatory effects on human skin mast cells in a cell subset dependent manner

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: Androgens are known to exert anti-inflammatory effects but their impact on mast cells (MCs) remains to be determined. Here, we show that MCs isolated from human foreskin samples (male) and those from breast skin (female) express the androgen receptor, albeit with a 10-fold difference between the subsets. While fundamental MC properties (FcεRI, c-Kit, tryptase; histamine release upon FcεRI cross-linking) were unaffected or slightly reduced (chymase) by testosterone, the hormone had a more profound impact on the production of cytokines, with IL-6 being a target (reduction by 53%). Interestingly, this effect was limited to breast skin MCs (15 of 16 donors displayed this phenomenon), but was not reproduced by foreskin MCs. Collectively, effector functions of human skin MCs are modulated by androgens in a gene-selective and MC subset-specific fashion. Possibly, MCs from women are more susceptible to testosterone. We also demonstrate that MC IL-6 production is highly variable among individuals.

Source: Experimental Dermatology

DOI: 10.1111/exd.12006

Authors: Sven Guhl, Metin Artuc, Torsten Zuberbier, Magda Babina

Institution: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Language: English

Topic: Mast cells and histamine

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: National Institutes of Health