Review
Cell Biology
Brian Noh, Louise D. McCullough, Jose F. Moruno-Manchon
Summary: This article reviews the clinical and preclinical evidence for sex differences in stroke and discusses the role of gonadal hormones and X-linked genes in regulating brain autophagy.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Federica Murgia, Florianna Giagnoni, Lorena Lorefice, Paola Caria, Tinuccia Dettori, Maurizio N. N. D'Alterio, Stefano Angioni, Aran J. J. Hendren, Pierluigi Caboni, Monica Pibiri, Giovanni Monni, Eleonora Cocco, Luigi Atzori
Summary: Sex hormones are correlated with the clinical activity of multiple sclerosis. Estrogens and progesterone may have a neuroprotective effect in MS, supporting further research on their therapeutic uses.
Review
Oncology
Francesco Maria Venanzi, Marta Bini, Antonio Nuccio, Alessandro De Toma, Matteo Lambertini, Francesca Rita Ogliari, Sara Oresti, Maria Grazia Vigano, Elena Brioschi, Maggie Polignano, Matteo Maria Naldini, Silvia Riva, Michele Ferrara, Nicola Fogale, Giuseppe Damiano, Vincenzo Russo, Michele Reni, Giulia Veronesi, Giorgia Foggetti, Fabio Conforti, Alessandra Bulotta, Roberto Ferrara
Summary: In the era of immunoncology, there is growing evidence of a clear sex dimorphism in antitumor immune response, which could have an impact on immune checkpoint blockade (ICI) therapy in cancer patients. Pregnancy may lead to changes in the immune system, including the presence of memory T-cells with fetal antigen specificity and fetalmaternal microchimerism, which could have implications for cancer development and response to immunotherapy.
CANCER TREATMENT REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Pablo Garrido-Gil, Maria A. Pedrosa, Maria Garcia-Garrote, Ana Pequeno-Valtierra, Jorge Rodriguez-Castro, Daniel Garcia-Souto, Ana Rodriguez-Perez, Jose L. Labandeira-Garcia
Summary: Sex differences in microglial AT2 receptor expression are influenced by genomic factors and are associated with differential expression of cytokines in microglia.
Article
Immunology
Nuria Alvarez-Sanchez, Shannon E. Dunn
Summary: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease that targets the myelin sheath of CNS neurons, causing axon injury, neuronal death, and neurological progression. Men with MS exhibit greater cognitive impairment and disability accumulation compared to women. The neurological progression in males is associated with chronic immune activation, increased iron accumulation, white matter lesions, whole brain and grey matter atrophy, and axon loss. Sex differences in biology, including sex chromosome complement and sex hormones, contribute to these disparities.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Floris Chabrun, Xavier Dieu, Pascale May-Panloup, Stephanie Chupin, Jennifer Bourreau, Daniel Henrion, Franck Letournel, Vincent Procaccio, Dominique Bonneau, Guy Lenaers, Delphine Mirebeau-Prunier, Juan Manuel Chao de la Barca, Pascal Reynier
Summary: The study found that gonads are the main contributors to the sexual dimorphism in the mouse brain metabolome, especially in females.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Jose Francisco Catala-Senent, Zoraida Andreu, Marta R. Hidalgo, Irene Soler-Saez, Francisco Jose Roig, Natalia Yanguas-Casas, Almudena Neva-Alejo, Adolfo Lopez-Cerdan, Maria de la Iglesia-Vaya, Barbara E. Stranger, Francisco Garcia-Garcia
Summary: This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying gender differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) by conducting a systematic review and analysis of genome-wide transcriptome studies. The results reveal differential gene expression patterns between male and female patients in various brain and blood tissues, guiding potential personalized treatments for MS based on gender.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Angela del Castillo-Izquierdo, Jordi Mayneris-Perxachs, Jose Manuel Fernandez-Real
Summary: The composition of the human gut microbiota is influenced by environmental and host factors, including diet, drugs, geography, sanitation, age, and sexual development. The impact of gender on the gut microbiota is minimal before and after adulthood, but significant during adulthood. Adult women have higher abundances of certain bacteria in their gut microbiota compared to men, while adult men have higher abundances of other bacteria, particularly associated with a diet rich in animal proteins. The gut microbiota of women becomes more similar to men after menopause. The gut microbiota is also linked to the levels of sexual hormones and their precursors in blood, and can participate in the metabolism of these hormones.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sara Trova, Serena Bovetti, Sara Bonzano, Silvia De Marchis, Paolo Peretto
Summary: Steroid hormones play important roles in vertebrates, especially in mammalian sexual development and brain neural circuits. Studies in recent decades have shown that sex steroids influence the organization of the brain structure during puberty, a critical period characterized by high sensitivity to external stimuli and significant remodeling of the organism's structure and function.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ha Na Choe, Erich D. Jarvis
Summary: Vocal learning is the ability to imitate and modify sounds, crucial for transmitting speech repertoires in humans and some birds with sexual dimorphism of this trait. Studies show subtle sexual dimorphism in vocal learning regions in humans, and an interplay between sex chromosomes and sex steroid hormones in the loss of vocal learning in females of some bird lineages.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Iker Gomez-Garcia, Jenifer Trepiana, Alfredo Fernandez-Quintela, Marta Giralt, Maria P. Portillo
Summary: This narrative review examines the sex differences in the effects of cold exposure, feeding pattern, and age on brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. The findings suggest that females tend to activate thermogenesis earlier in response to cold exposure and exhibit greater sensitivity to overfeeding or energy restriction. Sexual development leads to increased BAT activity, especially in boys, while aging results in a decline in thermogenic capacity, particularly in men. Additionally, females are more susceptible to WAT browning. Further studies are needed to provide valuable information for personalized approaches.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Virginia Meca-Lallana, Leticia Berenguer-Ruiz, Joan Carreres-Polo, Sara Eichau-Madueno, Jaime Ferrer-Lozano, Lucia Forero, Yolanda Higueras, Nieves Tellez Lara, Angela Vidal-Jordana, Francisco Carlos Perez-Miralles
Summary: Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory and degenerative disease of the central nervous system triggered by unknown environmental factors in patients with genetic risk profiles. Prevention of neurological disability is essential, but mechanisms driving disease progression remain unknown. Lack of markers for early detection and varying definitions of disability progression complicate assessment in clinical practice.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Philipp Kaufmann, R. Axel W. Wiberg, Konstantinos Papachristos, Douglas G. Scofield, Christian Tellgren-Roth, Elina Immonen
Summary: The Y chromosome in seed beetles has been found to affect male body size and sexual size dimorphism. Researchers discovered an additional copy of the gene target of rapamycin (TOR) on the Y chromosome, which may provide a male-specific opportunity to alter body size. Despite suppressed recombination, the Y chromosome has adaptive potential as a male-limited supergene.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Viviana Mucci, Mohamed Hamid, Yves Jacquemyn, Cherylea J. Browne
Summary: This review summarizes the higher prevalence of vestibular disorders in women and discusses the effects of sex hormones on various vestibular conditions. Recent studies have found a direct link between abnormal gonadal hormone levels and vestibular dysfunction. For example, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo may be linked to the rapid decrease in estrogen levels in menopausal women. Hormonal therapeutic intervention studies have advanced our understanding of hormonal influences in Meniere's disease. The review also highlights potential mechanisms involving vestibular migraine, Mal de Debarquement syndrome, and gonadal hormones. Overall, the review concludes that a multifaceted approach is needed for the clinical assessment of female vestibular patients, involving auditory and vestibular medicine physicians, gynecologists and/or endocrinologists, along with hormonal profile evaluations.
CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Sarah R. Ocanas, Victor A. Ansere, Collyn M. Kellogg, Jose V. V. Isola, Ana J. Chucair-Elliott, Willard M. Freeman
Summary: Biological sex influences neurodegenerative diseases through genetic and hormonal mechanisms. Microglial reactivity and the pro-inflammatory environment of the aging brain are influenced by sex, age, and disease state. Further research is needed to understand the regulation of microglial sex effects and develop sex-informed prevention and treatment strategies for brain diseases.
BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN
(2023)