Sex Differences in Response to Plasmodium chabaudi Infection: Involvement of Gonadal Steroids

The goal of this study was to examine whether immune responses to Plasmodium chabaudi infection differ between the sexes and are altered by the presence of gonadal steroids. Gonadally-intact males were more likely than intact females to die following P. chabaudi infection, exhibit slower recovery from infection-associated weight loss, hypothermia, and anemia, have reduced IFN-associated gene expression and IFN production during peak parasitemia, and produce less antibody during the recovery phase of infection. Gonadectomy of male and female mice altered these sex-associated differences, suggesting that sex steroid hormone, in particular androgens and estrogens, may modulate immune responses to infection.

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Cernetich A, Garver LS, Jedlicka AE, Klein PW, Kumar N, Scott AL, Klein SL