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Sex Plays a Multifaceted Role in Asthma Pathogenesis
Tomomitsu Miyasaka1, Kaori Dobashi-Okuyama1, Kaori Kawakami1
1Division of Pathophysiology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8558, Japan.
Biomolecules
|May 28, 2022
Summary
Sex significantly impacts asthma development and severity. Female hormones boost immune responses, while male hormones regulate them, influencing asthma risk and exacerbation, particularly in women.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Asthma prevalence and severity differ between sexes, with higher rates in prepubescent boys and adult females.
- Sex hormones influence immune responses: estrogen enhances type 2 adaptive immunity, while androgens modulate type 2 innate immunity.
- Hormone replacement therapy's effect on asthma risk in postmenopausal women is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of sex in asthma pathophysiology, focusing on immune responses from allergen sensing to T-helper 2 (Th2) cell activation.
- To explore the interaction between sex, genetic, and environmental factors in asthma exacerbation in women.
Main Methods:
- This is a narrative review synthesizing existing research and the authors' own data.
- The review examines the influence of sex hormones on immune pathways involved in asthma.
Main Results:
- Sex hormones critically modulate immune responses, affecting asthma onset and severity.
- Female sex hormones generally enhance type 2 immune responses, contributing to higher asthma prevalence and severity in adult women.
- Male sex hormones appear to have a regulatory role in type 2 innate immunity.
Conclusions:
- Sex is a crucial determinant of asthma immune responses and clinical presentation.
- Understanding sex-specific immune mechanisms is vital for developing targeted asthma therapies.
- Interactions between sex, genetics, and environment significantly influence asthma exacerbation, especially in women.
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