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Vemuri R, Sylvia KE, Klein SL, Forster SC, Plebanski M, Eri R, Flanagan KL. The microgenderome revealed: sex differences in bidirectional interactions between the microbiota, hormones, immunity and disease susceptibility. Semin Immunopathol 2019; 41:265-275. [PMID: 30298433 PMCID: PMC6500089 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0716-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in immunity are well described in the literature and thought to be mainly driven by sex hormones and sex-linked immune response genes. The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is one of the largest immune organs in the body and contains multiple immune cells in the GIT-associated lymphoid tissue, Peyer's patches and elsewhere, which together have profound effects on local and systemic inflammation. The GIT is colonised with microbial communities composed of bacteria, fungi and viruses, collectively known as the GIT microbiota. The GIT microbiota drives multiple interactions locally with immune cells that regulate the homeostatic environment and systemically in diverse tissues. It is becoming evident that the microbiota differs between the sexes, both in animal models and in humans, and these sex differences often lead to sex-dependent changes in local GIT inflammation, systemic immunity and susceptibility to a range of inflammatory diseases. The sexually dimorphic microbiome has been termed the 'microgenderome'. Herein, we review the evidence for the microgenderome and contemplate the role it plays in driving sex differences in immunity and disease susceptibility. We further consider the impact that biological sex might play in the response to treatments aimed at manipulating the GIT microbiota, such as prebiotics, live biotherapeutics, (probiotics, synbiotics and bacteriotherapies) and faecal microbial transplant. These alternative therapies hold potential in the treatment of both psychological (e.g., anxiety, depression) and physiological (e.g., irritable bowel disease) disorders differentially affecting males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravichandra Vemuri
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kristyn E Sylvia
- The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sabra L Klein
- The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Samuel C Forster
- Microbiota and Systems Biology Laboratory, Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Magdalena Plebanski
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- School of Health and Biomedical Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Raj Eri
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Katie L Flanagan
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
- School of Health and Biomedical Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Immunology and Pathology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Effect of sex on vaccination outcomes: important but frequently overlooked. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2018; 41:122-127. [PMID: 29883854 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
It is well established that vaccination does not affect males and females equally. For example, females generally mount greater antibody responses to vaccination than males, but also suffer more adverse events following vaccination, probably as a result of more robust immunity. Despite this, most researchers in the field of vaccinology do not take biological sex into account when conducting their studies. This omission is likely to lead to a loss of important information in terms of both reactogenicity and immunogenicity following vaccination as well as those suffering adverse events. It also suggests that the vaccine dose in males and females may need to be different in order to achieve the same outcome of protective immunity while minimising reactogenicity.
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