DHEA Induces Sex-Associated Differential Patterns in Cytokine and Antibody Levels in Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA.

ABSTRACT: Malaria is the most lethal parasitic disease worldwide; the severity of symptoms and mortality are higher in men than in women, exhibiting an evident sexual dimorphism in the immune response; therefore, the contribution of 17β-estradiol and testosterone to this phenomenon has been studied. Both hormones differentially affect several aspects of innate and adaptive immunity. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the precursor of both hormones and is the sexual steroid in higher concentrations in humans, with immunomodulatory properties in different parasitic diseases; however, the involvement of DHEA in this sexual dimorphism has not been studied. In the case of malaria, the only information is that higher levels of DHEA are associated with reduced Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia. Theref

SUBMITTER: Buendia-Gonzalez FO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10454633 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature