Estrogens modulate the effects of leflunomide on cytokine production by cultures of human monocytic/macrophage cells.

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Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that rheumatoid arthritis prevalence is greater in females than in males, and supports a role for estrogens as modulators of the immune response. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) showed that the antiproliferative drug Leflunomide (LEF) is successfully employed in rheumatoid arthritis. In this study we evaluated the combinatory effects of the LEF active metabolite A77 1726 (LEF-M) with 17beta-etradiol (E2) on inflammatory cytokine production by cultures of differentiated human macrophages (THP1 cells). ICC showed that LEF-M exerts a significant down-regulation on cytokine production respect to untreated cells.

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