Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
Data from basic and clinical studies suggests that testosterone has an immunomodulatory
as well as a potential neuroprotective effect that may be beneficial in MS.
Methods: Ten MS sufferers (male) were treated with 10 g of gel containing 100 mg
of testosterone in a cross-over design (6 month observation period followed by 12
months of treatment). Blood samples were obtained at three-month intervals during
the observation and the treatment period.
Isolated blood peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used to examine lymphocyte
subpopulation composition by flow cytometry and ex vivo protein production of cytokines
(IL-2, IFNgamma, TNFalpha, IL-10, IL-12p40, TGFbeta1) and growth factors (brain-derived
neurotrophic factor BDNF, platelet-derived growth factor PDGF-BB, nerve growth factor
NGF, and ciliary neurotrophic factor CNTF). Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin
recall tests were obtained before and during treatment as an in vivo functional immune
measure.
Author: Stefan M Gold, Sara Chalifoux, Barbara S Giesser and Rhonda R Voskuhl
Source: Journal of Neuroinflammation 2008, 5:32 (01/08/08)
Results: Testosterone treatment significantly reduced DTH recall responses and induced
a shift in peripheral lymphocyte composition by decreasing CD4+ T cell percentage
and increasing NK cells. In addition, PBMC production of IL-2 was significantly decreased
while TGFbeta1 production was increased.
Furthermore, PBMCs obtained during the treatment period produced significantly more
BDNF and PDGF-BB.
Conclusion: These results are consistent with an immuno-modulatory effect of testosterone
treatment in MS.
In addition, increased production of BDNF and PDGF-BB suggests a potential neuroprotective
effect.
