Raloxifene reduces circulating levels of interleukin-7 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in postmenopausal women
Received 7 May 2008; received in revised form 27 August 2008; accepted 6 September 2008. published online 31 October 2008.
Abstract
Objective
The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of raloxifene on changes in circulating levels of cytokines and chemokines in relation to changes in lipid profiles and markers of inflammation in postmenopausal women.
Methods
Fifty-three postmenopausal women aged 45–65 years old were randomly assigned in open, parallel-group fashion to a control group or raloxifene group. Twenty-six women received oral administration of 60mg raloxifene every day and 27 women did not receive any drugs for 12 months. Serum cytokines levels were simultaneously measured using a multiplexed human cytokine assay.
Results
Serum IL-7 concentrations in women who received raloxifene were decreased significantly (p=0.014), and serum monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 concentrations in women who received raloxifene were decreased significantly (p=0.0003) at 12 months. In the control group, serum levels of MCP-1 and IL-7 did not show significant changes. There were significant differences (p=0.032 and p=0.0024, respectively) in percentage changes in IL-7 and MCP-1 in the control group and in the raloxifene group. Levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and E-selectin were decreased significantly in women who received raloxifene, but the percentage changes in LDL-C and E-selectin over a period of 12 months were not significantly correlated with percentage changes in IL-7 and MCP-1 over the same period.
Conclusion
Circulating levels of IL-7 and MCP-1 decrease in postmenopausal women who received raloxifene.
aDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Course of Human Development, Human Development and Health Science, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
bDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Course of Human Development, Human Development and Health Science, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
cCourse of Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Tokushima, Japan
dPharmacology Research Department, Tsumura Central Research Institute, Japan
ABSTRACT