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Forsyth KS, Jiwrajka N, Lovell CD, Toothacre NE, Anguera MC. The conneXion between sex and immune responses. Nat Rev Immunol 2024:10.1038/s41577-024-00996-9. [PMID: 38383754 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-024-00996-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
There are notable sex-based differences in immune responses to pathogens and self-antigens, with female individuals exhibiting increased susceptibility to various autoimmune diseases, and male individuals displaying preferential susceptibility to some viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections. Although sex hormones clearly contribute to sex differences in immune cell composition and function, the presence of two X chromosomes in female individuals suggests that differential gene expression of numerous X chromosome-linked immune-related genes may also influence sex-biased innate and adaptive immune cell function in health and disease. Here, we review the sex differences in immune system composition and function, examining how hormones and genetics influence the immune system. We focus on the genetic and epigenetic contributions responsible for altered X chromosome-linked gene expression, and how this impacts sex-biased immune responses in the context of pathogen infection and systemic autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S Forsyth
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nikhil Jiwrajka
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Claudia D Lovell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Natalie E Toothacre
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Montserrat C Anguera
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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2
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Hoffmann JP, Liu JA, Seddu K, Klein SL. Sex hormone signaling and regulation of immune function. Immunity 2023; 56:2472-2491. [PMID: 37967530 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Immune responses to antigens, including innocuous, self, tumor, microbial, and vaccine antigens, differ between males and females. The quest to uncover the mechanisms for biological sex differences in the immune system has intensified, with considerable literature pointing toward sex hormonal influences on immune cell function. Sex steroids, including estrogens, androgens, and progestins, have profound effects on immune function. As such, drastic changes in sex steroid concentrations that occur with aging (e.g., after puberty or during the menopause transition) or pregnancy impact immune responses and the pathogenesis of immune-related diseases. The effect of sex steroids on immunity involves both the concentration of the ligand and the density and distribution of genomic and nongenomic receptors that serve as transcriptional regulators of immune cellular responses to affect autoimmunity, allergy, infectious diseases, cancers, and responses to vaccines. The next frontier will be harnessing these effects of sex steroids to improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Hoffmann
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jennifer A Liu
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kumba Seddu
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sabra L Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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3
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Lao P, Chen J, Tang L, Zhang J, Chen Y, Fang Y, Fan X. Regulatory T cells in lung disease and transplantation. Biosci Rep 2023; 43:BSR20231331. [PMID: 37795866 PMCID: PMC10611924 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20231331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary disease can refer to the disease of the lung itself or the pulmonary manifestations of systemic diseases, which are often connected to the malfunction of the immune system. Regulatory T (Treg) cells have been shown to be important in maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing inflammatory damage, including lung diseases. Given the increasing amount of evidence linking Treg cells to various pulmonary conditions, Treg cells might serve as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of lung diseases and potentially promote lung transplant tolerance. The most potent and well-defined Treg cells are Foxp3-expressing CD4+ Treg cells, which contribute to the prevention of autoimmune lung diseases and the promotion of lung transplant rejection. The protective mechanisms of Treg cells in lung disease and transplantation involve multiple immune suppression mechanisms. This review summarizes the development, phenotype and function of CD4+Foxp3+ Treg cells. Then, we focus on the therapeutic potential of Treg cells in preventing lung disease and limiting lung transplant rejection. Furthermore, we discussed the possibility of Treg cell utilization in clinical applications. This will provide an overview of current research advances in Treg cells and their relevant application in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peizhen Lao
- Institute of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Education, 351 Xingang Middle Road, Guangzhou 510303, PR China
| | - Jingyi Chen
- Institute of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Education, 351 Xingang Middle Road, Guangzhou 510303, PR China
| | - Longqian Tang
- Institute of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Education, 351 Xingang Middle Road, Guangzhou 510303, PR China
| | - Jiwen Zhang
- Institute of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Education, 351 Xingang Middle Road, Guangzhou 510303, PR China
| | - Yuxi Chen
- Institute of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Education, 351 Xingang Middle Road, Guangzhou 510303, PR China
| | - Yuyin Fang
- Institute of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Education, 351 Xingang Middle Road, Guangzhou 510303, PR China
| | - Xingliang Fan
- Institute of Biological and Food Engineering, Guangdong University of Education, 351 Xingang Middle Road, Guangzhou 510303, PR China
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Jovisic M, Mambetsariev N, Singer BD, Morales-Nebreda L. Differential roles of regulatory T cells in acute respiratory infections. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e170505. [PMID: 37463441 DOI: 10.1172/jci170505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory infections trigger an inflammatory immune response with the goal of pathogen clearance; however, overexuberant inflammation causes tissue damage and impairs pulmonary function. CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) interact with cells of both the innate and the adaptive immune system to limit acute pulmonary inflammation and promote its resolution. Tregs also provide tissue protection and coordinate lung tissue repair, facilitating a return to homeostatic pulmonary function. Here, we review Treg-mediated modulation of the host response to respiratory pathogens, focusing on mechanisms underlying how Tregs promote resolution of inflammation and repair of acute lung injury. We also discuss potential strategies to harness and optimize Tregs as a cellular therapy for patients with severe acute respiratory infection and discuss open questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Jovisic
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Simpson Querrey Lung Institute for Translational Science
| | | | - Benjamin D Singer
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Simpson Querrey Lung Institute for Translational Science
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, and
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Luisa Morales-Nebreda
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine
- Simpson Querrey Lung Institute for Translational Science
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Miller RAJ, Williams AP, Kovats S. Sex chromosome complement and sex steroid signaling underlie sex differences in immunity to respiratory virus infection. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1150282. [PMID: 37063266 PMCID: PMC10097973 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1150282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have revealed sex differences in the incidence and morbidity of respiratory virus infection in the human population, and often these observations are correlated with sex differences in the quality or magnitude of the immune response. Sex differences in immunity and morbidity also are observed in animal models of respiratory virus infection, suggesting differential dominance of specific immune mechanisms. Emerging research shows intrinsic sex differences in immune cell transcriptomes, epigenomes, and proteomes that may regulate human immunity when challenged by viral infection. Here, we highlight recent research into the role(s) of sex steroids and X chromosome complement in immune cells and describe how these findings provide insight into immunity during respiratory virus infection. We focus on the regulation of innate and adaptive immune cells by receptors for androgen and estrogens, as well as genes with a propensity to escape X chromosome inactivation. A deeper mechanistic knowledge of these pathways will help us to understand the often significant sex differences in immunity to endemic or pandemic respiratory pathogens such as influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial viruses and pathogenic coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reegan A. J. Miller
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Abigael P. Williams
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Susan Kovats
- Arthritis and Clinical Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
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Xu R, Jacques LC, Khandaker S, Beentjes D, Leon-Rios M, Wei X, French N, Neill DR, Kadioglu A. TNFR2 + regulatory T cells protect against bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia by suppressing IL-17A-producing γδ T cells in the lung. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112054. [PMID: 36724074 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a pathogen of global morbidity and mortality. Pneumococcal pneumonia can lead to systemic infections associated with high rates of mortality. We find that, upon pneumococcal infection, pulmonary Treg cells are activated and have upregulated TNFR2 expression. TNFR2-deficient mice have compromised Treg cell responses and highly activated IL-17A-producing γδ T cell (γδT17) responses, resulting in significantly enhanced neutrophil infiltration, tissue damage, and rapid development of bacteremia, mirroring responses in Treg cell-depleted mice. Deletion of total Treg cells predominantly activate IFNγ-T cell responses, whereas adoptive transfer of TNFR2+ Treg cells specifically suppress the γδT17 response, suggesting a targeted control of γδT17 activation by TNFR2+ Treg cells. Blocking IL-17A at early stage of infection significantly reduces bacterial blood dissemination and improves survival in TNFR2-deficient mice. Our results demonstrate that TNFR2 is critical for Treg cell-mediated regulation of pulmonary γδT17-neutrophil axis, with impaired TNFR2+ Treg cell responses increasing susceptibility to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Xu
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Laura C Jacques
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Shadia Khandaker
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Daan Beentjes
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Miguel Leon-Rios
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Xiaoqing Wei
- Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XY, UK
| | - Neil French
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Daniel R Neill
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Aras Kadioglu
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK.
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Warren KJ, Deering-Rice C, Huecksteadt T, Trivedi S, Venosa A, Reilly C, Sanders K, Clayton F, Wyatt TA, Poole JA, Heller NM, Leung D, Paine R. Steady-state estradiol triggers a unique innate immune response to allergen resulting in increased airway resistance. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:2. [PMID: 36609358 PMCID: PMC9817388 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00483-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Asthma is a chronic airway condition that occurs more often in women than men during reproductive years. Population studies have collectively shown that long-term use of oral contraceptives decreased the onset of asthma in women of reproductive age. In the current study, we hypothesized that steady-state levels of estrogen would reduce airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine challenge. METHODS Ovariectomized BALB/c mice (Ovx) were implanted with subcutaneous hormone pellets (estrogen, OVX-E2) that deliver consistent levels of estrogen [68 ± 2 pg/mL], or placebo pellets (OVX-Placebo), followed by ovalbumin sensitization and challenge. In conjunction with methacholine challenge, immune phenotyping was performed to correlate inflammatory proteins and immune populations with better or worse pulmonary outcomes measured by invasive pulmonary mechanics techniques. RESULTS Histologic analysis showed an increase in total cell infiltration and mucus staining around the airways leading to an increased inflammatory score in ovarectomized (OVX) animals with steady-state estrogen pellets (OVX-E2-OVA) as compared to other groups including female-sham operated (F-INTACT-OVA) and OVX implanted with a placebo pellet (OVX-Pl-OVA). Airway resistance (Rrs) and lung elastance (Ers) were increased in OVX-E2-OVA in comparison to F-INTACT-OVA following aerosolized intratracheal methacholine challenges. Immune phenotyping revealed that steady-state estrogen reduced CD3+ T cells, CD19+ B cells, ILC2 and eosinophils in the BAL across all experiments. While these commonly described allergic cells were reduced in the BAL, or airways, we found no changes in neutrophils, CD3+ T cells or CD19+ B cells in the remaining lung tissue. Similarly, inflammatory cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13) were also decreased in OVX-E2-OVA-treated animals in comparison to Female-INTACT-OVA mice in the BAL, but in the lung tissue IL-5, IL-13 and IL-33 were comparable in OVX-E2-OVA and F-INTACT OVA mice. ILC2 were sorted from the lungs and stimulated with exogenous IL-33. These ILC2 had reduced cytokine and chemokine expression when they were isolated from OVX-E2-OVA animals, indicating that steady-state estrogen suppresses IL-33-mediated activation of ILC2. CONCLUSIONS Therapeutically targeting estrogen receptors may have a limiting effect on eosinophils, ILC2 and potentially other immune populations that may improve asthma symptoms in those females that experience perimenstrual worsening of asthma, with the caveat, that long-term use of estrogens or hormone receptor modulators may be detrimental to the lung microenvironment over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristi J Warren
- George E Wahlen Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, 500 Foothill Dr., Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
- The Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
| | - Cassandra Deering-Rice
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tom Huecksteadt
- George E Wahlen Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, 500 Foothill Dr., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Shubhanshi Trivedi
- George E Wahlen Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, 500 Foothill Dr., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- The Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Alessandro Venosa
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Christopher Reilly
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Karl Sanders
- George E Wahlen Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, 500 Foothill Dr., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- The Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Frederic Clayton
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Todd A Wyatt
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
- Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jill A Poole
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Nicola M Heller
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Daniel Leung
- The Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Robert Paine
- George E Wahlen Salt Lake City VA Medical Center, 500 Foothill Dr., Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- The Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Anesi N, Miquel CH, Laffont S, Guéry JC. The Influence of Sex Hormones and X Chromosome in Immune Responses. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2023; 441:21-59. [PMID: 37695424 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-35139-6_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Males and females differ in their susceptibility to develop autoimmunity and allergy but also in their capacity to cope with infections and cancers. Cellular targets and molecular pathways underlying sexual dimorphism in immunity have started to emerge and appeared multifactorial. It became increasingly clear that sex-linked biological factors have important impact on the development, tissue maintenance and effector function acquisition of distinct immune cell populations, thereby regulating multiple layers of innate or adaptive immunity through distinct mechanisms. This review discusses the recent development in our understanding of the cell-intrinsic actions of biological factors linked to sex, sex hormones and sex chromosome complement, on immune cells, which may account for the sex differences in susceptibility to autoimmune diseases and allergies, and the sex-biased responses in natural immunity and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Anesi
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, INSERM, CNRS, UPS, 31300, Toulouse, France
| | - Charles-Henry Miquel
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, INSERM, CNRS, UPS, 31300, Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Laffont
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, INSERM, CNRS, UPS, 31300, Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Charles Guéry
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, INSERM, CNRS, UPS, 31300, Toulouse, France.
- INSERM UMR1291, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Purpan, Place du Dr. Baylac, 31024, Toulouse Cedex 3, France.
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Gravitte A, Kintner J, Brown S, Cobble A, Kennard B, Hall JV. The hormonal environment and estrogen receptor signaling alters Chlamydia muridarum infection in vivo. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:939944. [PMID: 36636722 PMCID: PMC9831676 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.939944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Genital Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States and worldwide. Previous studies indicate that the progression of chlamydial infection is influenced by various factors, including the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Sex hormone levels naturally fluctuate in women throughout their menstrual cycle. Varying concentrations of estrogen and progesterone may impact the progression of chlamydial infection and the host's immune response to Chlamydia. Estrogen signals through estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα and ERβ. These receptors are similar in structure and function, but are differentially expressed in tissues throughout the body, including the genital tract and on cells of the immune system. In this study, we used ovariectomized (OVT) BALB/c mice to investigate the impact of long-term administration of physiologically relevant concentrations of estrogen (E2), progesterone (P4), or a combination of E2/P4 on the progression of and immune response to C. muridarum infection. Additionally, we used ERα and ERβ knockout C57/BL6 mice to determine the how ERs affect chlamydial infection and the resulting immune response. Estrogen exposure prevented C. muridarum infection in vaginally infected OVT mice exposed to E2 alone or in combination with P4, while OVT or Sham mice exposed to hormone free, P4 or depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate shed similar amounts of chlamydiae. The hormonal environment also altered T cell recruitment and IFNϵ production the genital tracts of infected OVT and Sham mice on day 10 post infection. The absence of ERα, but not ERβ, in ER knockout mouse strains significantly changed the timing of C. muridarum infection. ERαKO mice shed significantly more chlamydiae at day 3 post infection and resolved the infection faster than WT or ERβKO animals. At day 9 post infection, flow cytometry showed that ERαKO mice had more T cells present and targeted RNA sequencing revealed increased expression of CD4 and FOXP3, suggesting that ERαKO mice had increased numbers of regulatory T cells compared to ERβKO and WT mice. Mock and chlamydia-infected ERαKO mice also expressed more IFNϵ early during infection. Overall, the data from these studies indicate that sex hormones and their receptors, particularly ERα and ERβ, differentially affect C. muridarum infection in murine models of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Gravitte
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States,Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infection Disease, and Immunity, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Jennifer Kintner
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Stacy Brown
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Allison Cobble
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Benjamin Kennard
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Jennifer V. Hall
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States,Center of Excellence for Inflammation, Infection Disease, and Immunity, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States,*Correspondence: Jennifer V. Hall,
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10
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Abstract
There is a growing awareness of the importance of sex and gender in medicine and research. Women typically have stronger immune responses to self and foreign antigens than men, resulting in sex-based differences in autoimmunity and infectious diseases. In both animals and humans, males are generally more susceptible than females to bacterial infections. At the same time, gender differences in health-seeking behavior, quality of health care, and adherence to treatment recommendations have been reported. This review explores our current understanding of differences between males and females in bacterial diseases. We describe how genetic, immunological, hormonal, and anatomical factors interact to influence sex-based differences in pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, disease severity, and prognosis, and how gender roles affect the behavior of patients and providers in the health care system.
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11
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Liu R, Du S, Zhao L, Jain S, Sahay K, Rizvanov A, Lezhnyova V, Khaibullin T, Martynova E, Khaiboullina S, Baranwal M. Autoreactive lymphocytes in multiple sclerosis: Pathogenesis and treatment target. Front Immunol 2022; 13:996469. [PMID: 36211343 PMCID: PMC9539795 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.996469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by destruction of the myelin sheath structure. The loss of myelin leads to damage of a neuron’s axon and cell body, which is identified as brain lesions on magnetic resonance image (MRI). The pathogenesis of MS remains largely unknown. However, immune mechanisms, especially those linked to the aberrant lymphocyte activity, are mainly responsible for neuronal damage. Th1 and Th17 populations of lymphocytes were primarily associated with MS pathogenesis. These lymphocytes are essential for differentiation of encephalitogenic CD8+ T cell and Th17 lymphocyte crossing the blood brain barrier and targeting myelin sheath in the CNS. B-lymphocytes could also contribute to MS pathogenesis by producing anti-myelin basic protein antibodies. In later studies, aberrant function of Treg and Th9 cells was identified as contributing to MS. This review summarizes the aberrant function and count of lymphocyte, and the contributions of these cell to the mechanisms of MS. Additionally, we have outlined the novel MS therapeutics aimed to amend the aberrant function or counts of these lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongzeng Liu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Shushu Du
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Lili Zhao
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Sahil Jain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Kritika Sahay
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, India
| | - Albert Rizvanov
- Gene and cell Department, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Vera Lezhnyova
- Gene and cell Department, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Timur Khaibullin
- Neurological Department, Republican Clinical Neurological Center, Kazan, Russia
| | | | - Svetlana Khaiboullina
- Gene and cell Department, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
- *Correspondence: Svetlana Khaiboullina, ; Manoj Baranwal, ;
| | - Manoj Baranwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, India
- *Correspondence: Svetlana Khaiboullina, ; Manoj Baranwal, ;
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Dias SP, Brouwer MC, Boelen A, van de Beek D. Cerebrospinal fluid sex steroid hormones in bacterial meningitis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e30452. [PMID: 36086742 PMCID: PMC10980494 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000030452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Unfavorable outcome in bacterial meningitis is related to excessive inflammation and higher inflammatory markers have been reported in female than in male patients. Sex steroid hormones have immunomodulatory properties and can be found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); however, their actions have not been studied in bacterial meningitis. We investigated the association between CSF sex steroid hormone levels and inflammatory parameters, disease severity, and outcome in pneumococcal meningitis. We identified adults with culture-proven pneumococcal meningitis in a prospective cohort study (2006-2014). We measured estradiol and testosterone in CSF using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) using an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Hormone levels were compared according to outcome, which was graded using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (a score of 5 indicating favorable, 1-4 unfavorable outcome). Correlation analysis was used to measure the association between hormone levels and inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and complement factors as well as severity of illness, as measured by the Glasgow Coma Scale and the Dutch Meningitis Risk Score. We included 60 patients: 20 men, 20 premenopausal (<50 years), and 20 postmenopausal (>50 years) women. Twenty-one (35%) patients had an unfavorable outcome and 11 (18%) died. Cases with an unfavorable outcome exhibited higher estradiol (median 14.0 vs 5.0 pmol/L, P = .04) and lower SHBG (0.40 vs 1.0 nmol/L, P = .03) levels compared with those with a favorable outcome. Estradiol was positively correlated with C-reactive protein (R = 0.42, P = .001), CSF protein (R = 0.33, P = .01), and proinflammatory cytokine levels. CSF concentrations of the sex steroid hormone estradiol were associated with outcome and CSF inflammation. Understanding the dose and time-dependent interaction between sex steroid hormones and the inflammatory response in bacterial meningitis represents an important and understudied topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara P. Dias
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, Lisbon, Portugal
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain” for SPD, MCB and DvdB
| | - Matthijs C. Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, The Netherlands
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain” for SPD, MCB and DvdB
| | - Anita Boelen
- Endocrine Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, The Netherlands
| | - Diederik van de Beek
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef, The Netherlands
- ESCMID Study Group for Infections of the Brain” for SPD, MCB and DvdB
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13
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Corica B, Tartaglia F, D'Amico T, Romiti GF, Cangemi R. Sex and gender differences in community-acquired pneumonia. Intern Emerg Med 2022; 17:1575-1588. [PMID: 35852675 PMCID: PMC9294783 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-022-02999-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Awareness of the influence of sex ands gender on the natural history of several diseases is increasing. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common acute respiratory disease, and it is associated with both morbidity and mortality across all age groups. Although a role for sex- and gender-based differences in the development and associated complications of CAP has been postulated, there is currently high uncertainty on the actual contribution of these factors in the epidemiology and clinical course of CAP. More evidence has been produced on the topic during the last decades, and sex- and gender-based differences have also been extensively studied in COVID-19 patients since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This review aims to provide an extensive outlook of the role of sex and gender in the epidemiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and outcomes of patients with CAP, and on the future research scenarios, with also a specific focus on COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette Corica
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza-University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00162, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Tartaglia
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza-University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00162, Rome, Italy
| | - Tania D'Amico
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza-University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00162, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulio Francesco Romiti
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza-University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00162, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Cangemi
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza-University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00162, Rome, Italy.
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Sex Steroids Effects on Asthma: A Network Perspective of Immune and Airway Cells. Cells 2022; 11:cells11142238. [PMID: 35883681 PMCID: PMC9318292 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A multitude of evidence has suggested the differential incidence, prevalence and severity of asthma between males and females. A compilation of recent literature recognized sex differences as a significant non-modifiable risk factor in asthma pathogenesis. Understanding the cellular and mechanistic basis of sex differences remains complex and the pivotal point of this ever elusive quest, which remains to be clarified in the current scenario. Sex steroids are an integral part of human development and evolution while also playing a critical role in the conditioning of the immune system and thereby influencing the function of peripheral organs. Classical perspectives suggest a pre-defined effect of sex steroids, generalizing estrogens popularly under the “estrogen paradox” due to conflicting reports associating estrogen with a pro- and anti-inflammatory role. On the other hand, androgens are classified as “anti-inflammatory,” serving a protective role in mitigating inflammation. Although considered mainstream and simplistic, this observation remains valid for numerous reasons, as elaborated in the current review. Women appear immune-favored with stronger and more responsive immune elements than men. However, the remarkable female predominance of diverse autoimmune and allergic diseases contradicts this observation suggesting that hormonal differences between the sexes might modulate the normal and dysfunctional regulation of the immune system. This review illustrates the potential relationship between key elements of the immune cell system and their interplay with sex steroids, relevant to structural cells in the pathophysiology of asthma and many other lung diseases. Here, we discuss established and emerging paradigms in the clarification of observed sex differences in asthma in the context of the immune system, which will deepen our understanding of asthma etiopathology.
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15
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Tong D. Selective estrogen receptor modulators contribute to prostate cancer treatment by regulating the tumor immune microenvironment. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2021-002944. [PMID: 35383112 PMCID: PMC8984050 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) has previously been established as a cold tumor and develops in an inert immunosuppressive environment. Current research focuses on altering the immune microenvironment of PC from cold to hot; thus, in the present review, the diverse roles of estrogen and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling was examined in the tumor cell and tumor immune microenvironment (TIM). We hypothesized that ERα promotes PC progression and ERβ impedes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in PC cells, while in the TIM, ERβ mediates the immunosuppressive environment, and low levels of ERα is associated with disease development. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) or selective ER degraders play diverse roles in the regulation of ER isoforms. Patients with PC may benefit from the use of SERMs, including raloxifene, in combination with anti-PD1/PD-L1 checkpoint immunotherapy, or TGF-β or Wnt antagonists. The present review demonstrated that immunotherapy-based strategies combined with SERMs may be an option for the future of PC-targeting therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dali Tong
- Department of Urological Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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16
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Dhakal S, Ruiz-Bedoya CA, Zhou R, Creisher PS, Villano JS, Littlefield K, Ruelas Castillo J, Marinho P, Jedlicka AE, Ordonez AA, Bahr M, Majewska N, Betenbaugh MJ, Flavahan K, Mueller ARL, Looney MM, Quijada D, Mota F, Beck SE, Brockhurst J, Braxton AM, Castell N, Stover M, D’Alessio FR, Metcalf Pate KA, Karakousis PC, Mankowski JL, Pekosz A, Jain SK, Klein SL. Sex Differences in Lung Imaging and SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Responses in a COVID-19 Golden Syrian Hamster Model. mBio 2021; 12:e0097421. [PMID: 34253053 PMCID: PMC8406232 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00974-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), more severe outcomes are reported in males than in females, including hospitalizations and deaths. Animal models can provide an opportunity to mechanistically interrogate causes of sex differences in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. Adult male and female golden Syrian hamsters (8 to 10 weeks of age) were inoculated intranasally with 105 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) of SARS-CoV-2/USA-WA1/2020 and euthanized at several time points during the acute (i.e., virus actively replicating) and recovery (i.e., after the infectious virus has been cleared) phases of infection. There was no mortality, but infected male hamsters experienced greater morbidity, losing a greater percentage of body mass, developed more extensive pneumonia as noted on chest computed tomography, and recovered more slowly than females. Treatment of male hamsters with estradiol did not alter pulmonary damage. Virus titers in respiratory tissues, including nasal turbinates, trachea, and lungs, and pulmonary cytokine concentrations, including interferon-β (IFN-β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were comparable between the sexes. However, during the recovery phase of infection, females mounted 2-fold greater IgM, IgG, and IgA responses against the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein (S-RBD) in both plasma and respiratory tissues. Female hamsters also had significantly greater IgG antibodies against whole-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and mutant S-RBDs as well as virus-neutralizing antibodies in plasma. The development of an animal model to study COVID-19 sex differences will allow for a greater mechanistic understanding of the SARS-CoV-2-associated sex differences seen in the human population. IMPORTANCE Men experience more severe outcomes from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than women. Golden Syrian hamsters were used to explore sex differences in the pathogenesis of a human isolate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). After inoculation, male hamsters experienced greater sickness, developed more severe lung pathology, and recovered more slowly than females. Sex differences in disease could not be reversed by estradiol treatment in males and were not explained by either virus replication kinetics or the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in the lungs. During the recovery period, antiviral antibody responses in the respiratory tract and plasma, including to newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, were greater in female than in male hamsters. Greater lung pathology during the acute phase combined with lower antiviral antibody responses during the recovery phase of infection in males than in females illustrate the utility of golden Syrian hamsters as a model to explore sex differences in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and vaccine-induced immunity and protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Dhakal
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Camilo A. Ruiz-Bedoya
- Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ruifeng Zhou
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Patrick S. Creisher
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason S. Villano
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kirsten Littlefield
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Paula Marinho
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne E. Jedlicka
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alvaro A. Ordonez
- Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Melissa Bahr
- Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Natalia Majewska
- Advanced Mammalian Biomanufacturing Innovation Center, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael J. Betenbaugh
- Advanced Mammalian Biomanufacturing Innovation Center, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kelly Flavahan
- Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alice R. L. Mueller
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Monika M. Looney
- Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Darla Quijada
- Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Filipa Mota
- Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sarah E. Beck
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jacqueline Brockhurst
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alicia M. Braxton
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Natalie Castell
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mitchel Stover
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Franco R. D’Alessio
- Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kelly A. Metcalf Pate
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Petros C. Karakousis
- Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph L. Mankowski
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Pekosz
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sanjay K. Jain
- Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sabra L. Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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17
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Dhakal S, Ruiz-Bedoya CA, Zhou R, Creisher P, Villano J, Littlefield K, Castillo J, Marinho P, Jedlicka A, Ordonez A, Majewska N, Betenbaugh M, Flavahan K, Mueller A, Looney M, Quijada D, Mota F, Beck SE, Brockhurst JK, Braxton A, Castell N, D'Alessio F, Metcalf Pate KA, Karakousis PC, Mankowski JL, Pekosz A, Jain SK, Klein SL. Sex differences in lung imaging and SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in a COVID-19 golden Syrian hamster model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.04.02.438292. [PMID: 33821269 PMCID: PMC8020969 DOI: 10.1101/2021.04.02.438292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), more severe outcomes are reported in males compared with females, including hospitalizations and deaths. Animal models can provide an opportunity to mechanistically interrogate causes of sex differences in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. Adult male and female golden Syrian hamsters (8-10 weeks of age) were inoculated intranasally with 10 5 TCID 50 of SARS-CoV-2/USA-WA1/2020 and euthanized at several time points during the acute (i.e., virus actively replicating) and recovery (i.e., after the infectious virus has been cleared) phases of infection. There was no mortality, but infected male hamsters experienced greater morbidity, losing a greater percentage of body mass, developing more extensive pneumonia as noted on chest computed tomography, and recovering more slowly than females. Treatment of male hamsters with estradiol did not alter pulmonary damage. Virus titers in respiratory tissues, including nasal turbinates, trachea, and lungs, and pulmonary cytokine concentrations, including IFNb and TNFa, were comparable between the sexes. However, during the recovery phase of infection, females mounted two-fold greater IgM, IgG, and IgA responses against the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein (S-RBD) in both plasma and respiratory tissues. Female hamsters also had significantly greater IgG antibodies against whole inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and mutant S-RBDs, as well as virus neutralizing antibodies in plasma. The development of an animal model to study COVID-19 sex differences will allow for a greater mechanistic understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 associated sex differences seen in the human population.
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