Association of Sex Steroid Hormones wth Neutrophil Function in the General Population

There are certain sex differences in the prevalence and severity of immunity-related diseases. Previous studies have shown the influence of sex steroid hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, on the immune system. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of sex steroid hormones with neutrophil function among normal healthy subjects in the general population. Subjects included 540 residents（ 358 males and 182 females）, who participated in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project in 2014. We examined the association of estradiol and testosterone with neutrophil ROS production and phagocytic activity. As a result, estradiol and testosterone negatively correlated with basal ROS production in males and luteal phase females （>15th day of menstrual cycle）, although such trend was not observed in follicular phase females（ <14th day of menstrual cycle） and postmenopausal females. In contrast, the association of testosterone with stimulated ROS production and phagocytic activity was observed only in males. In conclusion, both estradiol and testosterone were found to have an influence on neutrophil function. Furthermore, the association of sex steroid hormones with neutrophil function was found to vary according to the phase of the menstrual cycle in addition to the sex difference