Inhibiting oestrogen signalling in pulmonary arterial hypertension: sex, drugs and research

Abstract

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a sexually dimorphic disease that affects women more than men. Several pre-clinical and clinical studies identified 17β-oestradiol (E2), the most abundant female sex hormone, and/or its metabolite 16α-hydroxyoestrone as disease mediators in PAH (reviewed by Lahm et al. [1], and Foderaro and Venteuolo [2]). A recent case–control study even demonstrated significantly higher levels of E2 in men with PAH compared to controls [3]., Inhibition of oestrogen signalling in PAH is currently being studied clinically but several questions remain http://ow.ly/G7xK30cPN5M