Female sex hormones suppress development of collagen-induced arthritis in mice.

We have previously reported that male DBA/1 mice are more susceptible to collagen-induced arthritis than are females. Here we report that oophorectomy makes female mice as susceptible to collagen arthritis as are normal males. Induction of collagen-induced arthritis in mice is a T cell-dependent process. The role of female sex hormones in modulating T cell-dependent autoimmune diseases is discussed.