%0 Journal Article
%T Hormonal Link to Autoimmune Allergies
%A Shilpa Shah
%J ISRN Allergy
%D 2012
%R 10.5402/2012/910437
%X IgE recognition of autoantigens might augment allergic inflammation in the absence of exogenous allergen exposure. Among allergy and autoimmunity, there is disproportionate representation of males before puberty and females after puberty, suggesting a role for sex hormones. Hormone allergy is an allergic reaction where the offending allergens are one's own hormones. It is an immune reaction to the hormones, which can interfere with the normal function of the hormones. It can occur perimenstrually in women along with the variation in menstrual cycle. The perimenstrual allergies are about the cyclic abundance of the hormone causing a cyclic expression of allergic symptoms. The inflammatory mechanisms of allergic reactions to hormone allergens, which are intrinsic to the body, are the same as the mechanisms of allergic reactions to external allergens. 1. Introduction Allergy is a hypersensitivity disease based on body¡¯s immune recognition of external allergens when they are inhaled, ingested, or contacted. Exposure of allergic individuals to external allergens can lead to immediate type inflammation caused by degranulation of mast cells via IgE-allergen immune complexes and the release of inflammatory mediators, proteases, and proinflammatory cytokines. However, allergic inflammation is reported to occur and persist in the absence of exposure to exogenous allergens and might paradoxically resemble a Th1-mediated chronic inflammatory reaction. There is evidence supporting the view that autoimmune mechanisms might contribute to these processes. IgE recognition of autoantigens might augment allergic inflammation in the absence of exogenous allergen exposure. Moreover, autoantigens that activate Th1-immune responses could contribute to chronic inflammation in allergy, thus linking allergy to autoimmunity [1]. Among allergy and autoimmunity, there is disproportionate representation of males before puberty and females after puberty, suggesting a role for sex hormones. After puberty, female allergy sufferings report more severe symptoms and a greater number of emergency room and hospital admissions than males [2¨C4]. Further majority of people living with autoimmune disorders are women as well. In fact, autoimmune diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity in females. An estimated 75 percent of those living with autoimmune diseases are females [5¨C7]. This gender dimorphism in the immune function of females could be due to sex hormones. In addition to their effects on sexual differentiation and reproduction, sex hormones influence the immune system. This
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.allergy/2012/910437/