Sex Differences in Immune Responses

Biological sex has a significant impact on the immune system and immune-related diseases. Females exhibit a stronger immune response and are therefore more vulnerable to multiple autoimmune diseases. Males are comparatively more susceptible to specific viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal infections. Although sex hormones contribute to sexual differences in immune cell population composition and functions, the presence of two X chromosomes in females suggests that differential expression of a large number of X-linked immune-related genes, accompanied by abnormalities in X-chromosome inactivation, may also contribute to the sex-biased functions of innate and adaptive immune cells in health and disease. A comprehensive and multi-perspective understanding of this sex difference would have vital importance for planning and implementing personalized and precision immunotherapies.