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Published on: January 27, 2019
Intrinsic T-cell programming and immune spatial organization govern sex-biased tuberculosis immunity
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|July 17, 2026
Summary
Sex differences in tuberculosis (TB) immunity involve T cell programming and lung immune organization. Female T cells protect males by reducing bacterial load and inflammation, highlighting sex-specific immune strategies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Sex Differences in Biology
Background:
- Biological sex significantly impacts infectious disease susceptibility, but mechanisms of sex-dependent immunity in tuberculosis (TB) are unclear.
- Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), presents a major global health challenge with poorly understood sex-based variations in disease outcome.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying sexually divergent immunity during chronic Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection.
- To investigate the roles of intrinsic T cell programming and pulmonary immune spatial organization in sex-dependent TB protection.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Four Core Genotype (FCG) mouse model for studying sex chromosome-independent effects.
- Employed adoptive cell transfer, pathway-specific blockade (CXCR3, CD40L), and B cell depletion to analyze immune responses.
- Assessed bacterial burdens, T cell populations (Bcl6+ CD4+ T cells), neutrophilic inflammation, and B cell structures (B cell follicles).
Main Results:
- CD4+ T cells from gonadal females (XXF) conferred enhanced protection against Mtb in XY male recipients, independent of sex chromosome complement.
- Female-derived CD4+ T cells reduced Mtb burdens, promoted Bcl6+ CD4+ T cell responses, and limited neutrophilic inflammation.
- B cell follicle disruption revealed sex-specific immune roles: impacting T cell responses in females and driving myeloid activation/neutrophilia in males.
Conclusions:
- Sexually divergent immunity in TB involves intrinsic CD4+ T cell programming and B cell-mediated spatial immune organization.
- Female CD4+ T cells offer protection, while B cell structures coordinate adaptive immunity in females and restrain pathology in males.
- Immune tissue organization is a critical determinant of sexually dimorphic host defense in chronic TB.
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