-
Integrative multi-omics characterization reveals sex differences in glioblastoma Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Byunghyun Jang, Dayoung Yoon, Ji Yoon Lee, Jiwon Kim, Jisoo Hong, Harim Koo, Jason K. Sa
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary brain tumor in adults, with limited treatment modalities and poor prognosis. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of considering sex differences in cancer incidence, prognosis, molecular disparities, and treatment outcomes across various tumor types, including colorectal adenocarcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and GBM. We performed comprehensive
-
Sex disparities revealed by single-cell and bulk sequencing and their impacts on the efficacy of immunotherapy in esophageal cancer Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Huimeng Yan, Jinyuan Huang, Yingying Li, Bin Zhao
There is an ongoing debate on whether sex affects immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy. Here, we explored the underlying molecular bases for sex dimorphisms and their impact on the efficacy of immunotherapy in esophageal cancer (EC). 2360 EC patients from phase 3 trials were pooled to compare overall survivals by calculating hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals
-
XX sex chromosome complement modulates immune responses to heat-killed Streptococcus pneumoniae immunization in a microbiome-dependent manner Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Carly J. Amato-Menker, Quinn Hopen, Andrea Pettit, Jasleen Gandhi, Gangqing Hu, Rosana Schafer, Jennifer Franko
Differences in male vs. female immune responses are well-documented and have significant clinical implications. While the immunomodulatory effects of sex hormones are well established, the contributions of sex chromosome complement (XX vs. XY) and gut microbiome diversity on immune sexual dimorphisms have only recently become appreciated. Here we investigate the individual and collaborative influences
-
Microbial composition, functionality, and stress resilience or susceptibility: unraveling sex-specific patterns Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-02-26 Arax Tanelian, Bistra Nankova, Mariam Miari, Esther L. Sabban
Following exposure to traumatic stress, women are twice as likely as men to develop mood disorders. Yet, individual responses to such stress vary, with some people developing stress-induced psychopathologies while others exhibit resilience. The factors influencing sex-related disparities in affective disorders as well as variations in resilience remain unclear; however, emerging evidence suggests differences
-
Consideration of sex as a biological variable in diabetes research across twenty years Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-02-26 Celena M. Cherian, Hayley R. Reeves, Duneesha De Silva, Serena Tsao, Katie E. Marshall, Elizabeth J. Rideout
Sex differences exist in the risk of developing type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and in the risk of developing diabetes-associated complications. Sex differences in glucose homeostasis, islet and β cell biology, and peripheral insulin sensitivity have also been reported. Yet, we lack detailed information on the mechanisms underlying these differences, preventing the development of sex-informed therapeutic
-
Sex-specific modulation of early life vocalization and cognition by Fmr1 gene dosage in a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-02-21 Gabriele Giua, Daniela Iezzi, Alba Caceres-Rodriguez, Benjamin Strauss, Pascale Chavis, Olivier J. Manzoni
Pup-dam ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are essential to cognitive and socio-emotional development. In autism and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), disruptions in pup-dam USV communication hint at a possible connection between abnormal early developmental USV communication and the later emergence of communication and social deficits. Here, we gathered USVs from PND 10 FXS pups during a short period of separation
-
Different mechanisms underlie compulsive alcohol self-administration in male and female rats Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Sanne Toivainen, Li Xu, Francesco Gobbo, Andrea Della Valle, Andrea Coppola, Markus Heilig, Esi Domi
Sex is an important factor in the progression and treatment of alcohol addiction, and therapeutic approaches may have to be tailored to potential sex differences. This highlights the importance of understanding sex differences in behaviors that reflect key elements of clinical alcohol addiction, such as continued use despite negative consequences (“compulsive use”). Studies in experimental animals
-
Nrf2 activation rescues stress-induced depression-like behaviour and inflammatory responses in male but not female rats Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Ryan T. McCallum, Rachel-Karson Thériault, Joshua D. Manduca, Isaac S. B. Russell, Angel M. Culmer, Janan Shoja Doost, Tami A. Martino, Melissa L. Perreault
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurring affective disorder that is two times more prevalent in females than males. Evidence supports immune system dysfunction as a major contributing factor to MDD, notably in a sexually dimorphic manner. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a regulator of antioxidant signalling during inflammation, is dysregulated in many chronic inflammatory
-
Sex differences in the effects of individual anxiety state on regional responses to negative emotional scenes Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Shefali Chaudhary, Hak Kei Wong, Yu Chen, Sheng Zhang, Chiang-Shan R. Li
Men and women are known to show differences in the incidence and clinical manifestations of mood and anxiety disorders. Many imaging studies have investigated the neural correlates of sex differences in emotion processing. However, it remains unclear how anxiety might impact emotion processing differently in men and women. We recruited 119 healthy adults and assessed their levels of anxiety using State-Trait
-
Remembering the null hypothesis when searching for brain sex differences Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Lise Eliot
Human brain sex differences have fascinated scholars for centuries and become a key focus of neuroscientists since the dawn of MRI. We recently published a major review in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews showing that most male–female brain differences in humans are small and few have been reliably replicated. Although widely cited, this work was the target of a critical Commentary by DeCasien
-
The role of microRNAs in understanding sex-based differences in Alzheimer’s disease Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-31 Jaime Llera-Oyola, Héctor Carceller, Zoraida Andreu, Marta R. Hidalgo, Irene Soler-Sáez, Fernando Gordillo, Borja Gómez-Cabañes, Beatriz Roson, Maria de la Iglesia-Vayá, Roberta Mancuso, Franca R. Guerini, Akiko Mizokami, Francisco García-García
The incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD)—the most frequent cause of dementia—is expected to increase as life expectancies rise across the globe. While sex-based differences in AD have previously been described, there remain uncertainties regarding any association between sex and disease-associated molecular mechanisms. Studying sex-specific expression profiles of regulatory factors such as microRNAs
-
Sex differences in the effects of repeated ketamine infusions on bone markers in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Xiaofeng Lan, Haiyan Liu, Chengyu Wang, Weicheng Li, Fan Zhang, Zhibo Hu, Xiaoyu Chen, Zerui You, Yuping Ning, Yanling Zhou
Patients with depression, especially women, are associated with low bone mineral density (BMD). Traditional antidepressants are associated with negative effects on BMD. Few studies have examined the effect of ketamine on BMD, and it remains unclear whether there are sex differences in the effects of ketamine on BMD in patients with depression. A total of 102 patients with unipolar and bipolar depression
-
Male versus female inflammatory response after brain death model followed by ex vivo lung perfusion Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Fernanda Yamamoto Ricardo-da-Silva, Roberto Armstrong-Jr, Mayara Munhoz de Assis Ramos, Marina Vidal-dos-Santos, Cristiano Jesus Correia, Petra J. Ottens, Luiz Felipe Pinho Moreira, Henri G. D. Leuvenink, Ana Cristina Breithaupt-Faloppa
Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a useful tool for assessing lung grafts quality before transplantation. Studies indicate that donor sex is as an important factor for transplant outcome, as females present higher inflammatory response to brain death (BD) than males. Here, we investigated sex differences in the lungs of rats subjected to BD followed by EVLP. Male and female Wistar rats were subjected
-
Novel insight into the lipid network of plasma extracellular vesicles reveal sex-based differences in the lipidomic profile of alcohol use disorder patients Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Carla Perpiñá-Clérigues, Susana Mellado, Cristina Galiana-Roselló, María Fernández-Regueras, Miguel Marcos, Francisco García-García, María Pascual
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, with the consumption of alcohol considered a leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide. Lipids play a crucial functional role in cell membranes; however, we know little about the role of lipids in extracellular vesicles (EVs) as regulatory molecules and disease biomarkers. We employed a sensitive lipidomic strategy to characterize
-
Dihydrotestosterone induces arterial stiffening in female mice Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Alec C. Horton, Mary M. Wilkinson, Isabella Kilanowski-Doroh, Zhejun Dong, Jiao Liu, Benard O. Ogola, Bruna Visniauskas, Sarah H. Lindsey
Androgens are important sex hormones in both men and women and are supplemented when endogenous levels are low, for gender transitioning, or to increase libido. Androgens also circulate at higher levels in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, a condition that increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases including hypertension and arterial stiffness. Since our previous work shows an important role
-
Sex differences for clinical correlates of substantia nigra neuron loss in people with Lewy body pathology Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-19 Ece Bayram, David G. Coughlin, Ravi Rajmohan, Irene Litvan
Lewy body dementia (LBD) phenotype is associated with the presence and degree of Lewy body, Alzheimer’s pathologies, and substantia nigra neuron loss. Nigral neuron loss is associated with parkinsonism in LBD, and females with LBD are less likely than males to have parkinsonism. As sex differences were reported for clinical correlates of Lewy body and Alzheimer’s pathologies, we aimed to investigate
-
Sex-specific differences in intestinal microbiota associated with cardiovascular diseases Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-19 Helena Garcia-Fernandez, Antonio P. Arenas-de Larriva, Javier Lopez-Moreno, Francisco M. Gutierrez-Mariscal, Juan L. Romero-Cabrera, Helena Molina-Abril, Jose D. Torres-Peña, Diego Rodriguez-Cano, Maria M. Malagon, Jose M. Ordovas, Javier Delgado-Lista, Pablo Perez-Martinez, Jose Lopez-Miranda, Antonio Camargo
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD), display a higher prevalence in men than women. This study aims to evaluate the variations in the intestinal microbiota between men and women afflicted with CHD and delineate these against a non-CVD control group for each sex. Our research was conducted in the framework of the CORDIOPREV study, a clinical trial which involved 837
-
Sex-dependent circadian alterations of both central and peripheral clock genes expression and gut–microbiota composition during activity-based anorexia in mice Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-12 Colin Salaün, Marine Courvalet, Léna Rousseau, Kévin Cailleux, Jonathan Breton, Christine Bôle-Feysot, Charlène Guérin, Marion Huré, Alexis Goichon, Jean-Claude do Rego, Pierre Déchelotte, David Ribet, Najate Achamrah, Moïse Coëffier
Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) often present sleep disorders and circadian hormonal dysregulation. The role of the microbiota–gut–brain axis in the regulation of feeding behavior has emerged during the last decades but its relationships with the circadian rhythm remains poorly documented. Thus, we aimed to characterize the circadian clock genes expression in peripheral and central tissues in the
-
Sex differences in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity: the role of the gut microbiome Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-10 Saluda Stapleton, Grace Welch, Lindsay DiBerardo, Linnea R Freeman
Recent decades have seen an exponential rise in global obesity prevalence, with rates nearly doubling in a span of 40 years. A comprehensive knowledge base regarding the systemic effects of obesity is required to create new preventative and therapeutic agents effective at combating the current obesity epidemic. Previous studies of diet-induced obesity utilizing mouse models have demonstrated a difference
-
Sex-dependent effect of sublethal copper concentrations on de novo cholesterol synthesis in astrocytes and their possible links to variations in cholesterol and amyloid precursor protein levels in neuronal membranes Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Marlene Zubillaga, Julia Tau, Diana Rosa, M. José Bellini, Nathalie Arnal
Cholesterol (Cho) is an essential lipophilic molecule in cells; however, both its decrease and its increase may favor the development of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although copper (Cu) is an essential trace metal for cells, the increased plasma concentration of its free form has been linked with AD development and severity. AD affects aged people, but its prevalence and
-
Sex and gender correlates of sexually polymorphic cognition Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Louis Cartier, Mina Guérin, Fanny Saulnier, Ioana Cotocea, Amine Mohammedi, Fadila Moussaoui, Sarah Kheloui, Robert-Paul Juster
Sexually polymorphic cognition (SPC) results from the interaction between biological (birth-assigned sex (BAS), sex hormones) and socio-cultural (gender identity, gender roles, sexual orientation) factors. The literature remains quite mixed regarding the magnitude of the effects of these variables. This project used a battery of classic cognitive tests designed to assess the influence of sex hormones
-
Sex-based disparities in DNA methylation and gene expression in late-gestation mouse placentas Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-06 Lisa-Marie Legault, Mélanie Breton-Larrivée, Alexandra Langford-Avelar, Anthony Lemieux, Serge McGraw
The placenta is vital for fetal development and its contributions to various developmental issues, such as pregnancy complications, fetal growth restriction, and maternal exposure, have been extensively studied in mice. The placenta forms mainly from fetal tissue and therefore has the same biological sex as the fetus it supports. Extensive research has delved into the placenta’s involvement in pregnancy
-
TrkB-mediated sustained neuroprotection is sex-specific and \(\text{ER}\alpha\)-dependent in adult mice following neonatal hypoxia ischemia Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Vishal Chanana, Margaret Hackett, Nazli Deveci, Nur Aycan, Burak Ozaydin, Nur Sena Cagatay, Damla Hanalioglu, Douglas B. Kintner, Karson Corcoran, Sefer Yapici, Furkan Camci, Jens Eickhoff, Karyn M. Frick, Peter Ferrazzano, Jon E. Levine, Pelin Cengiz
Neonatal hypoxia ischemia (HI) related brain injury is one of the major causes of life-long neurological morbidities that result in learning and memory impairments. Evidence suggests that male neonates are more susceptible to the detrimental effects of HI, yet the mechanisms mediating these sex-specific responses to neural injury in neonates remain poorly understood. We previously tested the effects
-
Univariate and multivariate sex differences and similarities in gray matter volume within essential language-processing areas Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-21 Carla Sanchis-Segura, Rand R. Wilcox, Alvaro Javier Cruz-Gómez, Sonia Félix-Esbrí, Alba Sebastián-Tirado, Cristina Forn
Sex differences in language-related abilities have been reported. It is generally assumed that these differences stem from a different organization of language in the brains of females and males. However, research in this area has been relatively scarce, methodologically heterogeneous and has yielded conflicting results. Univariate and multivariate sex differences and similarities in gray matter volume
-
Sex and interspecies differences in ESR2-expressing cell distributions in mouse and rat brains Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Masahiro Morishita, Shimpei Higo, Kinuyo Iwata, Hirotaka Ishii
ESR2, a nuclear estrogen receptor also known as estrogen receptor β, is expressed in the brain and contributes to the actions of estrogen in various physiological phenomena. However, its expression profiles in the brain have long been debated because of difficulties in detecting ESR2-expressing cells. In the present study, we aimed to determine the distribution of ESR2 in rodent brains, as well as
-
Sex differences in type 2 diabetes: an opportunity for personalized medicine Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-13 Meredith L. Johnson, Joshua D. Preston, Cetewayo S. Rashid, Kevin J. Pearson, J. Nina Ham
Over the past several decades, substantial ground has been gained in understanding the biology of sex differences. With new mandates to include sex as a biological variable in NIH-funded research, greater knowledge is forthcoming on how sex chromosomes, sex hormones, and social and societal differences between sexes can affect the pathophysiology of health and disease. A detailed picture of how biological
-
Sex differences in mouse infralimbic cortex projections to the nucleus accumbens shell Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-11 Caroline S. Johnson, Andrew D. Chapp, Erin B. Lind, Mark J. Thomas, Paul G. Mermelstein
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an important region in motivation and reward. Glutamatergic inputs from the infralimbic cortex (ILC) to the shell region of the NAc (NAcSh) have been implicated in driving the motivation to seek reward through repeated action-based behavior. While this has primarily been studied in males, observed sex differences in motivational circuitry and behavior suggest that females
-
Sex bias in celiac disease: XWAS and monocyte eQTLs in women identify TMEM187 as a functional candidate gene Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-12-11 Alba Hernangomez-Laderas, Ariadna Cilleros-Portet, Silvia Martínez Velasco, Sergi Marí, María Legarda, Bárbara Paola González-García, Carlos Tutau, Iraia García-Santisteban, Iñaki Irastorza, Nora Fernandez-Jimenez, Jose Ramon Bilbao
Celiac disease (CeD) is an immune-mediated disorder that develops in genetically predisposed individuals upon gluten consumption. HLA risk alleles explain 40% of the genetic component of CeD, so there have been continuing efforts to uncover non-HLA loci that can explain the remaining heritability. As in most autoimmune disorders, the prevalence of CeD is significantly higher in women. Here, we investigated
-
Sex-based differences in natural killer T cell-mediated protection against diet-induced steatohepatitis in Balb/c mice Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Carlos Cuño-Gómiz, Estefanía de Gregorio, Anna Tutusaus, Patricia Rider, Nuria Andrés-Sánchez, Anna Colell, Albert Morales, Montserrat Marí
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is prevalent in Western countries, evolving into metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with a sexual dimorphism. Fertile women exhibit lower MASLD risk than men, which diminishes post-menopause. While NKT-cell involvement in steatohepatitis is debated, discrepancies may stem from varied mouse strains used, predominantly
-
Sex differences in the rapid detection of neutral faces associated with emotional value Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Akie Saito, Wataru Sato, Sakiko Yoshikawa
Rapid detection of faces with emotional meaning is essential for understanding the emotions of others, possibly promoting successful interpersonal relationships. Although few studies have examined sex differences in the ability to detect emotional faces, it remains unclear whether faces with emotional meaning capture the attention of females and males differently, because emotional faces have visual
-
Sex differences in binge alcohol drinking and the behavioral consequences of protracted abstinence in C57BL/6J mice Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-13 Jean K. Rivera-Irizarry, Lia J. Zallar, Olivia B. Levine, Mary Jane Skelly, Jared E. Boyce, Thaddeus Barney, Ruth Kopyto, Kristen E. Pleil
Binge alcohol drinking is a risk factor linked to numerous disease states including alcohol use disorder (AUD). While men binge drink more alcohol than women, this demographic gap is quickly shrinking, and preclinical studies demonstrate that females consistently consume more alcohol than males. Further, women are at increased risk for the co-expression of AUD with neuropsychiatric diseases such as
-
Correction: Variability of temperature measurements recorded by a wearable device by biological sex Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-13 Lauryn Keeler Bruce, Patrick Kasl, Severine Soltani, Varun K. Viswanath, Wendy Hartogensis, Stephan Dilchert, Frederick M. Hecht, Anoushka Chowdhary, Claudine Anglo, Leena Pandya, Subhasis Dasgupta, Ilkay Altintas, Amarnath Gupta, Ashley E. Mason, Benjamin L. Smarr
Correction: Biology of Sex Differences (2023) 14:76 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-023-00558-z Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported an error in their equal contributions statement. The statement should read: Ashley E. Mason and Benjamin L. Smarr contributed equally and are co-senior authors. The original article [1] has been updated. Bruce LK, Kasl P, Soltani S, Viswanath
-
Sex and age differences in social and cognitive function in offspring exposed to late gestational hypoxia Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-11 Steve Mabry, E. Nicole Wilson, Jessica L. Bradshaw, Jennifer J. Gardner, Oluwadarasimi Fadeyibi, Edward Vera, Oluwatobiloba Osikoya, Spencer C. Cushen, Dimitrios Karamichos, Styliani Goulopoulou, Rebecca L. Cunningham
Gestational sleep apnea is a hypoxic sleep disorder that affects 8–26% of pregnancies and increases the risk for central nervous system dysfunction in offspring. Specifically, there are sex differences in the sensitivity of the fetal hippocampus to hypoxic insults, and hippocampal impairments are associated with social dysfunction, repetitive behaviors, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. Yet, it is
-
Sex-differences in proteasome-dependent K48-polyubiquitin signaling in the amygdala are developmentally regulated in rats Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-10 Kayla Farrell, Aubrey Auerbach, Catherine Liu, Kiley Martin, Myasia Pareno, W. Keith Ray, Richard F. Helm, Fernando Biase, Timothy J. Jarome
Sex differences have been observed in several brain regions for the molecular mechanisms involved in baseline (resting) and memory-related processes. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is a major protein degradation pathway in cells. Sex differences have been observed in lysine-48 (K48)-polyubiquitination, the canonical degradation mark of the UPS, both at baseline and during fear memory formation
-
Genetic hypogonadal mouse model reveals niche-specific influence of reproductive axis and sex on intestinal microbial communities Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-06 Laura Sisk-Hackworth, Jada Brown, Lillian Sau, Andrew A. Levine, Lai Ying Ivy Tam, Aishwarya Ramesh, Reeya S. Shah, Evelyn T. Kelley-Thackray, Sophia Wang, Anita Nguyen, Scott T. Kelley, Varykina G. Thackray
The gut microbiome has been linked to many diseases with sex bias including autoimmune, metabolic, neurological, and reproductive disorders. While numerous studies report sex differences in fecal microbial communities, the role of the reproductive axis in this differentiation is unclear and it is unknown how sex differentiation affects microbial diversity in specific regions of the small and large
-
Sex matters for the enhancement of cognitive training with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Simone Weller, Birgit Derntl, Christian Plewnia
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can influence brain network activity and associated cognitive and behavioural functions. In addition to the extensive variety in stimulation parameters, numerous biological factors drive these effects, however these are yet poorly understood. Here, we investigate one of the major biological factors by focusing on sex-dependent effects of tDCS on a challenging
-
Increased proliferation and neuronal fate in prairie vole brain progenitor cells cultured in vitro: effects by social exposure and sexual dimorphism Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Daniela Ávila-González, Italo Romero-Morales, Lizette Caro, Alejandro Martínez-Juárez, Larry J. Young, Francisco Camacho-Barrios, Omar Martínez-Alarcón, Analía E. Castro, Raúl G. Paredes, Néstor F. Díaz, Wendy Portillo
The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) is a socially monogamous rodent that establishes an enduring pair bond after cohabitation, with (6 h) or without (24 h) mating. Previously, we reported that social interaction and mating increased cell proliferation and differentiation to neuronal fate in neurogenic niches in male voles. We hypothesized that neurogenesis may be a neural plasticity mechanism involved
-
Variability of temperature measurements recorded by a wearable device by biological sex Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-11-01 Lauryn Keeler Bruce, Patrick Kasl, Severine Soltani, Varun K. Viswanath, Wendy Hartogensis, Stephan Dilchert, Frederick M. Hecht, Anoushka Chowdhary, Claudine Anglo, Leena Pandya, Subhasis Dasgupta, Ilkay Altintas, Amarnath Gupta, Ashley E. Mason, Benjamin L. Smarr
Females have been historically excluded from biomedical research due in part to the documented presumption that results with male subjects will generalize effectively to females. This has been justified in part by the assumption that ovarian rhythms will increase the overall variance of pooled random samples. But not all variance in samples is random. Human biometrics are continuously changing in response
-
Sex influences the effects of social status on socioemotional behavior and serotonin neurochemistry in rhesus monkeys Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-28 Alison Wakeford, Jonathon A. Nye, Zachary A. Grieb, Dené A. Voisin, Jiyoung Mun, Kim L. Huhman, Elliott Albers, Vasiliki Michopoulos
Despite observed sex differences in the prevalence of stress-related psychiatric conditions, most preclinical and translational studies have only included male subjects. Therefore, it has not been possible to effectively assess how sex interacts with other psychosocial risk factors to impact the etiology and maintenance of stress-related psychopathology. One psychosocial factor that interacts with
-
Regulatory mechanism of LncRNAs in gonadal differentiation of hermaphroditic fish, Monopterus albus Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-25 Qiaomu Hu, Xueping Xia, Zitong Lian, Haifeng Tian, Zhong Li
Monopterus albus is a hermaphroditic fish with sex reversal from ovaries to testes via the ovotestes in the process of gonadal development, but the molecular mechanism of the sex reversal was unknown. We produced transcriptomes containing mRNAs and lncRNAs in the crucial stages of the gonad, including the ovary, ovotestis and testis. The expression of the crucial lncRNAs and their target genes was
-
Aromatase inhibition and ketamine in rats: sex-differences in antidepressant-like efficacy Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-24 Sandra Ledesma-Corvi, Jordi Jornet-Plaza, M. Julia García-Fuster
Ketamine has been recently approved to treat resistant depression; however preclinical studies showed sex differences in its efficacy. Sex steroids, such as estrogens and testosterone, both in the periphery and locally in the brain, are regarded as important modulators of these sex differences. Therefore, the present study evaluated how inhibiting the biosynthesis of estrogens with letrozole (an aromatase
-
Sex-specific role of galectin-3 in aortic stenosis Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-24 Lara Matilla, Ernesto Martín-Núñez, Mattie Garaikoetxea, Adela Navarro, Ibai Tamayo, Amaya Fernández-Celis, Alicia Gainza, Joaquín Fernández-Irigoyen, Enrique Santamaría, Pieter Muntendam, Virginia Álvarez, Rafael Sádaba, Eva Jover, Natalia López-Andrés
Aortic stenosis (AS) is characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Men and women develop these mechanisms differently. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a pro-inflammatory and pro-osteogenic lectin in AS. In this work, we aim to analyse a potential sex-differential role of Gal-3 in AS. 226 patients (61.50% men) with severe AS undergoing surgical aortic valve (AV) replacement were recruited
-
Spatial transcriptomics reveal basal sex differences in supraoptic nucleus gene expression of adult rats related to cell signaling and ribosomal pathways Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-19 Dianna H. Nguyen, Victor Duque, Nicole Phillips, André Souza Mecawi, J. Thomas Cunningham
The supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus contains magnocellular neurosecretory cells that secrete the hormones vasopressin and oxytocin. Sex differences in SON gene expression have been relatively unexplored. Our study used spatially resolved transcriptomics to visualize gene expression profiles in the SON of adult male (n = 4) and female (n = 4) Sprague-Dawley rats using Visium Spatial Gene
-
Endothelin mediates sex-differences in acclimation to high salt diet in rats Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-10 Victoria L. Nasci, Rawan N. Almutlaq, David M. Pollock, Eman Y. Gohar
Current understanding of sodium (Na+) handling is based on studies done primarily in males. Contrary to the gradual increase in high salt (HS) induced natriuresis over 3–5 days in males, female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats have a robust natriuresis after 1 day of HS. Renal endothelin-1 (ET-1) signaling, through ET receptor A and B, is an important natriuretic pathway and was implicated in our previous
-
Sex differences in the association between adipose insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese adults Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-09 Ying Wei, Jia Liu, Guang Wang, Ying Wang
Adipose insulin resistance (Adipo-IR) is associated with multiple metabolic diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The study aimed to evaluate sex differences in the association between Adipo-IR and NAFLD, and further investigated other potential modifiers. This cross-sectional study enrolled adults without diabetes who underwent physical examinations in Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital
-
Two genetic variants in the SRD5A2 gene are found to be associated with sex differences in the disease characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Honglei Duan, Xu Wang, Wenqian Qi, Jingyi Shi, Liang Han, Guohua Wang, Yanhui Xu, Jia Liu, Jiangbin Wang
To examine the expression characteristics of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SRD5A2 gene and investigate their potential association with differences in the clinical characteristics between sexes in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. A total of 30 loci in six genes primarily involved in the metabolism and signaling of sex hormones/sex hormone receptors, namely AKR1C2
-
Comparing the antidepressant-like effects of electroconvulsive seizures in adolescent and adult female rats: an intensity dose–response study Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-30 Sandra Ledesma-Corvi, M. Julia García-Fuster
The induction of electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) in rodents induces sex- and age-specific disparities in antidepressant-like responses, with females and young age being the most unresponsive ones. Since the electrical charge needed to induce an effective convulsion is also altered by these variables, our aim was to compare different dose-intensities of ECS exclusively in female rats, since there is
-
Fetal sex differences in placental LCPUFA ether and plasmalogen phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine contents in pregnancies complicated by obesity Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-28 Theresa L. Powell, Charis Uhlson, Lana Madi, Karin Zemski Berry, Stephanie S. Chassen, Thomas Jansson, Veronique Ferchaud-Roucher
We have previously reported that maternal obesity reduces placental transport capacity for lysophosphatidylcholine-docosahexaenoic acid (LPC-DHA), a preferred form for transfer of DHA (omega 3) to the fetal brain, but only in male fetuses. Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), have either sn-1 ester, ether or vinyl ether (plasmalogen) linkages to primarily unsaturated and monounsaturated
-
Age-associated sex difference in the expression of mitochondria-based redox sensitive proteins and effect of pioglitazone in nonhuman primate brain Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-28 Sumit Jamwal, Jennifer K. Blackburn, John D. Elsworth
Paraoxonase 2 (PON2) and neuronal uncoupling proteins (UCP4 and UCP5) possess antioxidant, anti-apoptotic activities and minimize accumulation of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria. While age and sex are risk factors for several disorders that are linked with oxidative stress, no study has explored the age- and sex-dependent expression of PON2 isoforms, UCP4 and UCP5 in primate brain or identified
-
Sexual differences in locus coeruleus neurons and related behavior in C57BL/6J mice Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-28 Patricia Mariscal, Lidia Bravo, Meritxell Llorca-Torralba, Jone Razquin, Cristina Miguelez, Irene Suárez-Pereira, Esther Berrocoso
In addition to social and cultural factors, sex differences in the central nervous system have a critical influence on behavior, although the neurobiology underlying these differences remains unclear. Interestingly, the Locus Coeruleus (LC), a noradrenergic nucleus that exhibits sexual dimorphism, integrates signals that are related to diverse activities, including emotions, cognition and pain. Therefore
-
Sex differences in obesity-induced renal lipid accumulation revealed by lipidomics: a role of adiponectin/AMPK axis Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-28 Florian Juszczak, Louise Pierre, Morgane Decarnoncle, Inès Jadot, Blanche Martin, Olivia Botton, Nathalie Caron, Jonas Dehairs, Johannes V. Swinnen, Anne-Emilie Declèves
Sex differences have been observed in the development of obesity-related complications in patients, as well as in animal models. Accumulating evidence suggests that sex-dependent regulation of lipid metabolism contributes to sex-specific physiopathology. Lipid accumulation in the renal tissue has been shown to play a major role in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced kidney injury. Unlike in males,
-
Serum metabolomics profiling by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry of the response to single oral macronutrient challenges in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared with male and female controls Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-22 Héctor F. Escobar-Morreale, María Ángeles Martínez-García, María Insenser, Nicolau Cañellas, Xavier Correig, Manuel Luque-Ramírez
The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities. We here challenged the hypothesis, using state-of-the-art proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (1H-NMRS) metabolomics profiling, that androgen excess in women induces a certain masculinization of postprandial metabolism that is modulated by obesity. Participants were 53 Caucasian
-
Sex hormones and the risk of myocardial infarction in women and men: a prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-20 Katie Harris, Sanne A. E. Peters, Mark Woodward
There is conflicting evidence around the role of sex hormones with cardiovascular outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the association of sex hormones with the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in pre- and post-menopausal women, and men in the UK Biobank. The UK Biobank is a prospective population-based cohort study, that recruited over 500,000 (aged 40–69 years) women and men between 2006
-
TLR8 escapes X chromosome inactivation in human monocytes and CD4+ T cells Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-18 Ali Youness, Claire Cenac, Berenice Faz-López, Solange Grunenwald, Franck J. Barrat, Julie Chaumeil, José Enrique Mejía, Jean-Charles Guéry
Human endosomal Toll-like receptors TLR7 and TLR8 recognize self and non-self RNA ligands, and are important mediators of innate immunity and autoimmune pathogenesis. TLR7 and TLR8 are, respectively, encoded by adjacent X-linked genes. We previously established that TLR7 evades X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female immune cells. Whether TLR8 also evades XCI, however, has not yet been explored.
-
Systematic characterization of a non-transgenic Aβ1–42 amyloidosis model: synaptic plasticity and memory deficits in female and male mice Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-16 Raquel Jiménez-Herrera, Ana Contreras, Souhail Djebari, Jaime Mulero-Franco, Guillermo Iborra-Lázaro, Danko Jeremic, Juan Navarro-López, Lydia Jiménez-Díaz
The amyloid-β (Aβ) cascade is one of the most studied theories linked to AD. In multiple models, Aβ accumulation and dyshomeostasis have shown a key role in AD onset, leading to excitatory/inhibitory imbalance, the impairments of synaptic plasticity and oscillatory activity, and memory deficits. Despite the higher prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in women compared to men, the possible sex difference
-
Sex differences in renal cell carcinoma: a single-cell analysis reveals exhausted CD8+ T-cells highly infiltrated in males Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-15 Kang Ning, Yulu Peng, Yue Jiang, Zhen Li, Xin Luo, Lede Lin, Minhua Deng, Yi Wu, Tingxuan Huang, Yixin Huang, Ye Xie, Xiaofeng Yang, Manhuai Zhang, Longbin Xiong, Xiangpeng Zou, Zhaohui Zhou, Fangjian Zhou, Pei Dong, Chunping Yu, Zhiling Zhang
Although sex bias has been reported in the development and progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the underlying mechanisms remain enigmatic. Here, we investigated the sex differences in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of RCC and explored a promising combination drug regimen to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from four published datasets were
-
Sex-biased gene and microRNA expression in the developing mouse brain is associated with neurodevelopmental functions and neurological phenotypes Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-07 Susanna Szakats, Alice McAtamney, Hugh Cross, Megan J. Wilson
Sex differences pose a challenge and an opportunity in biomedical research. Understanding how sex chromosomes and hormones affect disease-causing mechanisms will shed light on the mechanisms underlying predominantly idiopathic sex-biased neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism. Gene expression is a crucial conduit for the influence of sex on developmental processes; therefore
-
Sex differences in muscle protein expression and DNA methylation in response to exercise training Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-05 Shanie Landen, Macsue Jacques, Danielle Hiam, Javier Alvarez-Romero, Ralf B. Schittenhelm, Anup D. Shah, Cheng Huang, Joel R. Steele, Nicholas R. Harvey, Larisa M. Haupt, Lyn R. Griffiths, Kevin J. Ashton, Séverine Lamon, Sarah Voisin, Nir Eynon
Exercise training elicits changes in muscle physiology, epigenomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, with males and females exhibiting differing physiological responses to exercise training. However, the molecular mechanisms contributing to the differing adaptations between the sexes are poorly understood. We performed a meta-analysis for sex differences in skeletal muscle DNA methylation following
-
The mixed legacy of the rat estrous cycle Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-04 Irving Zucker
The rat estrous cycle first characterized by Long and Evans in 1922 profoundly affected the course of endocrine research. Investigators took advantage of sex steroid hormone fluctuations associated with the cycle to assess hormonal influences on anxiety, depression, food intake, stress, brain structure and other traits. Similarities of the rat estrous and human menstrual cycles facilitated understanding
-
Sex differences in distribution and identity of aromatase gene expressing cells in the young adult rat brain Biol. Sex Differ. (IF 7.9) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Jana Immenschuh, Stefan Bernhard Thalhammer, Inger Sundström-Poromaa, Anat Biegon, Sylvie Dumas, Erika Comasco
Aromatase catalyzes the synthesis of estrogens from androgens. Knowledge on its regional expression in the brain is of relevance to the behavioral implications of these hormones that might be linked to sex differences in mental health. The present study investigated the distribution of cells expressing the aromatase coding gene (Cyp19a1) in limbic regions of young adult rats of both sexes, and characterized