Estrogen may exert inhibitory effects on immune cells, leading to reduced vascular inflammation and protection against cardiovascular disease. (2011)
From the article:
The results could help explain why cardiovascular disease rates tend to be higher in men and why they soar in women after the menopause.
The researchers compared white blood cells from men and pre-menopausal women blood donors. They found that cells from premenopausal women have much higher levels of protein called annexin-A1 on the surface of their white blood cells.
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The scientists also found that annexin-A1 and estrogen levels were strongly linked throughout the menstrual cycle.
White blood cells play a vital role in protecting the body from infections. When they are activated they stick to the walls of blood vessels. This process normally helps the cells to tackle infection but if it happens too much, it can lead to blood vessel damage, which in turn can lead to cardiovascular disease. However, when annexin-A1 is on the surface of these white blood cells, it prevents them from sticking to the blood vessel wall.
The new research shows that estrogen can move annexin-A1 from inside the white blood cell, where it is normally stored, to the surface of the cells, thereby preventing the cells from sticking to blood vessel walls and causing vascular damage. This may have important implications in cardiovascular disease.