Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses
10:13

Tailoring In Vivo Cytotoxicity Assays to Study Immunodominance in Tumor-specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Published on: May 6, 2019

9.5K

New Frontier in Cancer Immunotherapy: Sexual Dimorphism of Immune Response

Nadeem Bilani1, Nicole Charbel2, Joe Rizkallah3

  • 1Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.

Metabolites
|November 26, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Sexual dimorphism impacts immunotherapy effectiveness. Metabolomics reveals sex-specific metabolic differences, like kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratios, that influence treatment outcomes and can guide personalized cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Metabolomics

Background:

  • Sexual dimorphism significantly affects immune responses, cancer progression, and treatment outcomes.
  • Metabolic pathways underlying these sex-based differences in immunity and immunotherapy efficacy are not well understood.
  • Men and women show different survival benefits and response rates to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the influence of sexual dimorphism on immunotherapy outcomes.
  • To highlight metabolomic biomarkers associated with treatment response.
  • To summarize clinical trials integrating metabolomics for sex-aware precision oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Meta-analysis of clinical trial data on immunotherapy outcomes by sex.
  • Review of mechanistic evidence on sex-specific immune function and metabolism.
  • Analysis of metabolomic and lipidomic signatures linked to treatment efficacy.
  • Examination of sex-specific microbiome-derived metabolites.

Main Results:

  • Men generally experience greater survival benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitors than women.
  • Women may have higher major pathologic response rates in neoadjuvant settings.
  • Elevated kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratios and specific lipidomic profiles correlate with reduced immunotherapy efficacy, potentially varying by sex.
  • Sex-specific microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, modulate immune responses and treatment outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Metabolomic profiling is crucial for understanding sex differences in immunotherapy.
  • Identifying sex-specific metabolic biomarkers can refine patient stratification for cancer treatment.
  • Integrating metabolomics into clinical trials can optimize immunotherapeutic strategies for both sexes.
  • Understanding metabolic pathways offers a path toward sex-aware precision oncology.
Keywords:
cancer immunotherapyimmune checkpoint inhibitorsimmunometabolismmetabolic biomarkersmetabolomicsprecision medicinesex hormonessex-based differencessexual dimorphismtumor microenvironment

More Related Videos

Testing Cancer Immunotherapeutics in a Humanized Mouse Model Bearing Human Tumors15:24

Testing Cancer Immunotherapeutics in a Humanized Mouse Model Bearing Human Tumors

Published on: December 16, 2022

3.8K
Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine09:15

Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine

Published on: February 24, 2023

3.8K

Related Concept Videos

Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
1.7K
Cancer Vaccines01:30

Cancer Vaccines

Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
936
Mouse Models of Cancer Study02:43

Mouse Models of Cancer Study

Mice have long served as models for studying human biology and pathology because of their phylogenetic and physiological similarity with humans. They are also easy to maintain and breed in the laboratory, and hence, many inbred strains are now available for research. Studies on mice have contributed immeasurably to our understanding of cancer biology.
The development of transgenic, knockout, and knock-in mice has led to an exponential increase in their use as model organisms in research,...
6.4K