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Review
. 2021 Jul;96(7):1955-1969.
doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.007.

Sex, Cells, and Asthma

Sergio E Chiarella  1 , Juan Carlos Cardet  2 , Y S Prakash  3
Affiliations
Review

Sex, Cells, and Asthma

Sergio E Chiarella et al. Mayo Clin Proc. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

There are marked sex differences in asthma prevalence and severity. Sex hormones play a central role in these sex biases and directly interact with multiple key cells involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Here we review the known effects of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone on airway epithelial cells, airway smooth muscle cells, the mononuclear phagocyte system, innate lymphoid cells, eosinophils, mast cells, T cells, and B cells, all in the context of asthma. Furthermore, we explore unresolved clinical questions, such as the role of sex hormones in the link between asthma and obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest:

JCC reports receiving honoraria from AstraZeneca for work in its Advisory Board on eosinophilic diseases, unrelated to this manuscript

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Summary of the key effects of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone on structural and immune cells relevant to the pathogenesis of asthma. Also the male-female cell-specific differences in asthma. AAM = alternatively activated macrophages; AChE = acetylcholinesterase; AHR = airway hyperreactivity; DC = dendritic cell; IgE = immunoglobulin E; IL-4 = interleukin-4; ILC2 = type 2 innate lymphoid cell; LN = lymph node; MCP-1 = monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; NO = nitric oxide; OVA = ovalbumin; SOCE = store-operated calcium entry; STIM1 = stromal interaction molecule 1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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