| Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovial tissues lining the affected joints, resulting in hyperplasia of the synovium and the formation of the rheumatoid pannus, which projects into the joint cavity. Women are 2.5 times more likely to develop RA than men and experience an increased severity of joint destruction than observed in male cases. Gonadal steroids are thought to play a role in the immune response due to the fact that synoviocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes express functional sex steroid receptors. Nicotine is a proven gonadal toxin and has been shown to inhibit gonadal estradiol and testosterone production in female and male animals respectively, thereby lowering serum concentrations. In this thesis, male and female DBA/1J mice were treated with nicotine and its effect on collagen-induced arthritis assessed. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
