The effect of testosterone replacement treatment on immunological features of patients with Klinefelter's syndrome
Abstract
Although the effects of androgen deficiency in the immune system have long been appreciated, little is known about the immunological features of patients with Klinefelter's syndrome (KS). On the other hand, interest in androgens as a possible treatment for some autoimmune diseases is growing. In the present study, some immunological parameters were evaluated in 26 patients with KS prior to androgen replacement treatment (ART) and the results were compared with those in 19 healthy control subjects. Patients were then treated with testosterone for 6 months and the pre- and post-treatment findings were compared. Serum levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3c and C4 were measured by nephelometry and lymphocyte subsets and CD4/CD8 ratios were examined by flow cytometry. IL-2 and IL-4 levels were measured by ELISA. Pretreatment levels of the serum IgA, IgG, IgM, IL-2 and IL-4 of the patients were higher than those of the controls and were all decreased significantly following ART. The pretreatment absolute numbers and percentages of CD3, CD4, CD19 cells and CD4/CD8 ratios of patients with KS were higher than those of the controls and were all decreased with ART. Percentages of CD8 cells were increased significantly, while C3 and C4 levels were both significantly decreased after ART. It is concluded that the lack of testosterone in patients with KS enhances cellular and humoral immunity and that ART may suppress this.
Values are mean ± s.d.
FSH, Follicle-stimulating hormone; LH, luteinizing hormone; FT, free testosterone; TT, total testosterone; SHBG, sex hormone binding globulin; PRL, prolactin; DHEAS, dihydroepiandrostendione sulphate.
P1, Pretreatment versus controls; P2, Pre- versus post-treatment.
Values are mean ± s.d.
P1, Pretreatment versus controls; P2, pre- versus post-treatment.
Acknowledgments
This study was financially supported by The Research Centre of Gülhane School of Medicine. The authors acknowledge Alan Glyn Jones PhD, for his kind critical review of the English.
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