The researchers have uncovered important differences between the male and female immune system which may explain why men are more susceptible to obesity and metabolism-related associated diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
It has long been known that men are more likely than women to develop unhealthy obesity and related metabolic diseases, while women are more prone to certain autoimmune diseases such as arthritis. These findings suggested the male and female immune systems differ, but until now scientists weren't sure how.
Researching male and female adipose tissue - commonly referred to as body fat - a scientists discovered striking differences in the numbers and function of an immune cell population called regulatory T cells, or Treg cells, between male and female mice.
Treg cells play a central role in the body by dampening inflammation, autoimmunity and maintaining the health of many tissues, including the adipose tissue.
Importantly, the adipose tissue is not only a storage for energy, but also an endocrine organ that plays a crucial part in regulating metabolism, appetite and inflammation. It also produces a range of different hormones.
Published today in Nature, the team systematically examined every cell type in the adipose tissue and discovered a novel type of stromal - or connecting - cell that communicates with Treg cells and is found only in males. These stromal cells determine how many Treg cells can be recruited to the adipose tissue and how they are being activated.
The first author of the study, said finding these differences between male and female Treg cells was a remarkable breakthrough, as scientists have previously been unable to understand the differences between male and female immune systems.
"Not only did we discover dramatic differences in Treg cells, we also discovered a stromal cell type that responds directly to the male sex hormone, testosterone, and is therefore specific to males," the author said.
"This stromal cell makes a signalling molecule, IL-33, which is what Treg cells depend on. So, you have a completely novel chain of events that is regulated in a sex-specific manner."
With the unprecedented worldwide rise of obesity and metabolic disease, the senior author and laboratory head at the Doherty Institute, said the findings are important when considering new therapeutic approaches to this global challenge.
"We are now exploring whether similar mechanisms are at play in autoimmune diseases and in cancers," the senior author said.
"For too long the male physiology and the male immune system was considered the 'norm' in research and in clinical studies. Our work shows that important differences exists between the sexes. This means that the strategies to treat a range of diseases may have to be different between men and women."
https://about.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2020/february/sex-specific-traits-of-the-immune-system-explain-mens-susceptibility-to-obesity
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2040-3
Sex-specific traits of the immune system explain men's susceptibility to obesity
- 1,273 views
- Added
Edited
Latest News
Hyperactive platelets from…
By newseditor
Posted 19 May
Chromatin and RNA interacti…
By newseditor
Posted 18 May
Why patients with ARID1A mu…
By newseditor
Posted 18 May
Smuggling small molecule mo…
By newseditor
Posted 18 May
Men with gene mutations are…
By newseditor
Posted 17 May
Other Top Stories
Neurogenesis from gut microbe secreted molecule
Read more
Monoclonal antibodies that may neutralize many norovirus variants
Read more
A case for intranasal COVID-19 vaccinations
Read more
Why do some people get severe COVID-19?
Read more
How malaria parasite suppresses the immune response
Read more
Protocols
Breast cancer-on-chip for p…
By newseditor
Posted 16 May
Methods for making and obse…
By newseditor
Posted 15 May
Mime-seq 2.0: a method to s…
By newseditor
Posted 13 May
Improved detection of DNA r…
By newseditor
Posted 09 May
Single-cell adhesive profil…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Publications
An age-progressive platelet…
By newseditor
Posted 19 May
Immunotherapy for colorecta…
By newseditor
Posted 18 May
Single-cell multiplex chrom…
By newseditor
Posted 18 May
Autophagy preferentially de…
By newseditor
Posted 18 May
Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and…
By newseditor
Posted 18 May
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar