FEMALE SEX HORMONE RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN IMMUNE SYSTEM CELLS OF MALE WISTAR RATS

Sex hormones, estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR), play important roles in the physiology of both females and males, influencing various processes through interaction with their respective receptors. The effects of these hormones on immune cells has been a topic of interest, particularly due to observed differences in immune responses between genders in various immune-mediated diseases. The aim of the study was to quantify the expression of ER and PR receptors in different immune tissue cells of male Wistar rats using standard immunohistochemical methods. Lymphoid tissue was obtained from three-month-old sexually naïve male Wistar rats. Cell suspensions were prepared from the spleen, thymus, and peritoneal lymph nodes. The expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors was quantified on stained cells under 1000´ magnification. The results showed that spleen cells exhibited estrogen receptor positivity at 3.59 ± 0.02%, while lymph node cells exhibited 0.22 ± 0.38% positivity. No estrogen receptor-positive cells were detected in the thymus. For progesterone receptors, 2.85 ± 0.1% of spleen cells and 0.45 ± 0.75% of lymph node cells were positive, while again, no positive cells were found in the thymus. Sex hormone receptors are sparsely distributed in the immune tissues of male rats. These findings provide a foundation for further research into the mechanisms of immune-mediated diseases and may contribute to the development of novel pharmacological therapies.