Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Department of Emergency, Anesthesiological and Reanimation Sciences, Catholic University of Rome, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Cells. 2024 Mar 17;13(6):526. doi: 10.3390/cells13060526.
The development of preventive and therapeutic vaccines has played a crucial role in preventing infections and treating chronic and non-communicable diseases, respectively. For a long time, the influence of sex differences on modifying health and disease has not been addressed in clinical and preclinical studies. The interaction of genetic, epigenetic, and hormonal factors plays a role in the sex-related differences in the epidemiology of diseases, clinical manifestations, and the response to treatment. Moreover, sex is one of the leading factors influencing the gut microbiota composition, which could further explain the different predisposition to diseases in men and women. In the same way, differences between sexes occur also in the immune response to vaccines. This narrative review aims to highlight these differences, focusing on the immune response to vaccines. Comparative data about immune responses, vaccine effectiveness, and side effects are reviewed. Hence, the intricate interplay between sex, immunity, and the gut microbiota will be discussed for its potential role in the response to vaccination. Embracing a sex-oriented perspective in research may improve the efficacy of the immune response and allow the design of tailored vaccine schedules.
预防性和治疗性疫苗的发展在预防感染和治疗慢性及非传染性疾病方面分别发挥了关键作用。长期以来，性别的差异对健康和疾病的影响在临床前和临床研究中并未得到解决。遗传、表观遗传和激素因素的相互作用在疾病的流行病学、临床表现和治疗反应的性别相关差异中发挥了作用。此外，性是影响肠道微生物组组成的主要因素之一，这可以进一步解释男性和女性对疾病的不同易感性。同样，在疫苗的免疫反应方面也存在性别差异。本综述旨在强调这些差异，重点关注疫苗的免疫反应。对免疫反应、疫苗有效性和副作用的比较数据进行了综述。因此，将讨论性别、免疫和肠道微生物组之间的复杂相互作用，及其在疫苗接种反应中的潜在作用。在研究中采用性别导向的观点可能会提高免疫反应的效果，并允许设计定制的疫苗接种计划。
