Amoebiasis
Men fall ill more often than women
Women and men differ not only anatomically, but also in their immune responses. For example, men are more susceptible to various infectious diseases, while women are more prone to autoimmune diseases. However, the underlying biological processes are largely not understood. This is also evident in infections with the parasite Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amoebiasis. The severe clinical form, the so-called amoebic liver abscess, mainly affects men. At the BNITM, a mouse model was established that reflects these gender-specific differences. After infection, male mice develop larger liver abscesses, while these heal more quickly in female animals.
Using this mouse model, it could be shown that the male sex hormone testosterone is responsible for this sex difference via a direct influence on certain immune cells. Following on from these findings, we were able to show that this mechanism of action can also be transferred to human immune cells. Understanding these mechanisms paves the way for the development of new treatment strategies for infectious diseases that take the patient's gender into account.
Further information can be found in the following publications:
Possibilities for alternative methods can be found under Alternativ Methods at BNITM.
