Sex differences in HIV-1-mediated immunopathology
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Sex differences in HIV-1-mediated immunopathology. / Ziegler, Susanne; Altfeld, Marcus.
In: CURR OPIN HIV AIDS, Vol. 11, No. 2, 03.2016, p. 209-15.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Review article › Research
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Sex differences in HIV-1-mediated immunopathology
AU - Ziegler, Susanne
AU - Altfeld, Marcus
PY - 2016/3
Y1 - 2016/3
N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The article reviews our current knowledge regarding the role of sex and sex hormones in regulating innate immune responses to viral infections, which may account for the described sex differences in immunity to HIV-1.RECENT FINDINGS: Prominent sex differences exist in various infectious and autoimmune diseases. Biological mechanisms underlying these differences include the modulation of immunological pathways by sex hormones and gene dosage effects of immunomodulatory genes encoded by the X chromosome. During HIV-1 infections, women have been shown to present with lower viral load levels in primary infection, although their progression to AIDS is faster in comparison with men when accounting for viral load levels in chronic infection. HIV-1-infected women furthermore tend to have higher levels of immune activation and interferon-stimulated gene expression in comparison with men for the same viral load, which has been associated to innate sensing of HIV-1 by Toll-like receptor 7 and the consequent interferon-α production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells.SUMMARY: Improvement in understanding the mechanisms associated with sex differences in HIV-1-mediated immunopathology will be critical to take sex differences into consideration when designing experimental and clinical studies in HIV-1-infected populations.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The article reviews our current knowledge regarding the role of sex and sex hormones in regulating innate immune responses to viral infections, which may account for the described sex differences in immunity to HIV-1.RECENT FINDINGS: Prominent sex differences exist in various infectious and autoimmune diseases. Biological mechanisms underlying these differences include the modulation of immunological pathways by sex hormones and gene dosage effects of immunomodulatory genes encoded by the X chromosome. During HIV-1 infections, women have been shown to present with lower viral load levels in primary infection, although their progression to AIDS is faster in comparison with men when accounting for viral load levels in chronic infection. HIV-1-infected women furthermore tend to have higher levels of immune activation and interferon-stimulated gene expression in comparison with men for the same viral load, which has been associated to innate sensing of HIV-1 by Toll-like receptor 7 and the consequent interferon-α production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells.SUMMARY: Improvement in understanding the mechanisms associated with sex differences in HIV-1-mediated immunopathology will be critical to take sex differences into consideration when designing experimental and clinical studies in HIV-1-infected populations.
KW - Estrogens
KW - Female
KW - HIV Infections/immunology
KW - Humans
KW - Interferon-alpha
KW - Male
KW - Sex Factors
KW - Toll-Like Receptors
U2 - 10.1097/COH.0000000000000237
DO - 10.1097/COH.0000000000000237
M3 - SCORING: Review article
C2 - 26845674
VL - 11
SP - 209
EP - 215
JO - CURR OPIN HIV AIDS
JF - CURR OPIN HIV AIDS
SN - 1746-630X
IS - 2
ER -