[The role of gender in the pathogenesis and development of autoimmune diseases]

Abstract

Autoimmune diseases occur with greater frequency in women than in men, suggesting that the mechanism of pathogenesis is conditioned by gender. So far not defined clearly factors responsible for the development and course of these diseases depending on sex. However, it was found there is a clear sexual dimorphism of the immune system, which may determine the process of autoimmunity. The causes of the increased incidence of women in autoimmune diseases are attributed to the action of the hormones estrogen, which can promote the process of autoimmunity and enhance the clinical symptoms of the disease. As shown sex hormones have immunomodulatory activities on dendritic cells, macrophages, neutrophils, B and T cells. In the both situation the response to strange antigens and mechanism of autoimmunity sex hormones have been shown to play contributory roles in process of cytokine production, the expression of cytokine receptors and response of effector cells. According to recent research, the development of autoimmune diseases is determined by genetic factors. Changes in the autosomal genes X and Y chromosomes play an important role in the progression of autoimmune processes, especially that the X chromosome has genes responsible for the regulation of the immune system.

Keywords: autoimmune diseases; genetic factors; immune system; sex hormones.