Tao Xuerui, Wang Yiling, Xiang Binghua, Hu Dongmei, Xiong Wei, Liao Wenjun, Zhang Shichuan, Liu Chi, Wang Xiaoxiao, Zhao Yue
School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Theranostics. 2025 Mar 31;15(11):5045-5072. doi: 10.7150/thno.106465. eCollection 2025.
Significant sex disparities have been observed in cancer incidence, treatment response to immunotherapy, and susceptibility to adverse effects, affecting both reproductive and non-reproductive organ cancers. While lifestyle factors, carcinogenic exposure, and healthcare access contribute to these disparities, they do not fully explain the observed male-female variation in anti-tumor immunity. Despite the preferential expression of sex hormone receptors in immune cells, X chromosome also contains numerous genes involved in immune function, and its incomplete inactivation may enhance anti-tumor immune responses in females. In contrast, loss or downregulation of Y-linked genes in males has been associated with an increased cancer risk. Additionally, estrogen, progesterone and androgen signaling pathways influence both innate and adaptive immune responses, contributing to sex-specific outcomes in cancer progression and therapy. Sex-biased differences are also evident in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression, cellular senescence, microbiota composition, metabolism, and DNA damage response, all of which impact anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy treatment efficacy. In general, the combination of sex chromosomes, sex hormones, and hormone receptors orchestrates the phenotype and function of various immune cells involved in tumor immunity. However, sex disparity in each specific immune cell are context and environment dependent, considering the preferential expression of hormone receptor in immune cell and sex hormone levels fluctuate significantly across different life stages. This review aims to outline the molecular, cellular, and epigenetic changes in T cells, B cells, NK cells, DCs, neutrophils, and macrophages driven by sex chromosomes and sex hormone signaling. These insights may inform the design of sex-specific targeted therapies and leading to more individualized cancer treatment strategies.
在癌症发病率、免疫治疗的反应以及不良反应易感性方面,已观察到显著的性别差异,这影响了生殖器官癌和非生殖器官癌。虽然生活方式因素、致癌物质暴露和医疗保健机会导致了这些差异,但它们并不能完全解释所观察到的男性和女性在抗肿瘤免疫方面的差异。尽管免疫细胞中存在性激素受体的优先表达,但X染色体也包含许多参与免疫功能的基因,其不完全失活可能增强女性的抗肿瘤免疫反应。相反,男性Y连锁基因的缺失或下调与癌症风险增加有关。此外,雌激素、孕酮和雄激素信号通路影响先天性和适应性免疫反应,在癌症进展和治疗中导致性别特异性结果。性别偏倚差异在基因表达的表观遗传调控、细胞衰老、微生物群组成、代谢和DNA损伤反应中也很明显,所有这些都会影响抗肿瘤免疫和免疫治疗的疗效。一般来说,性染色体、性激素和激素受体的组合协调了参与肿瘤免疫的各种免疫细胞的表型和功能。然而,考虑到激素受体在免疫细胞中的优先表达以及性激素水平在不同生命阶段的显著波动,每个特定免疫细胞中的性别差异取决于背景和环境。本综述旨在概述由性染色体和性激素信号驱动的T细胞、B细胞、NK细胞、DC细胞、中性粒细胞和巨噬细胞中的分子、细胞和表观遗传变化。这些见解可能为性别特异性靶向治疗的设计提供信息,并导致更个性化的癌症治疗策略。
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