Female sex hormone could protect against sexually transmitted infections

Researchers at McMaster University have uncovered a female sex hormone may also protect women against sexually transmitted viral infections.

The study published in the scientific journal PLOS Pathogens looked at estradiol, a hormone present in the menstrual cycle and in oral contraceptives. The research, led by pathology and molecular medicine professor Charu Kaushic, found estradiol improves anti-viral responses in mice infected with the herpes virus (HSV-2, specifically), one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections. HSV-2 affects more than 530 million people worldwide, with rates higher among women, according to the World Health Organization.

“To the best of our knowledge this is the first study that has shown how estradiol could be enhancing the immune system to fight against viral infection,” Kaushic says.

In terms of what this could mean in humans, Kaushic says her research is important in understanding how women can be better protected from sexually transmitted infections, and how more effective vaccines can be developed.

“If this pathway can be verified in women, then we have laid the foundation to address a number of important public health issues, particularly whether some hormonal contraceptives may be better than others for women who are at higher risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa, where both HIV-1 and HSV-2 infection rates are high,” Kauschic says.

The study was funded by operating grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and a Research Chair Award from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network.