Project description:We conclude an existence of a previously unrecognized role for estradiol in the regulation of cell development in the neonatal thymus and an organizational role for perinatal testosterone in the development of immune sexual dimorphism
Project description:There is increasing concern regarding the adverse effects of air pollution on human health, and benzene is a major toxic compound in air pollution. Maternal benzene exposure has been associated with reproductive complications, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and immunological and neurological complications in the offspring. However, it is poorly understood how benzene induces these complications. Our objective was to establish a full body inhalation mouse model for maternal benzene exposure that mimics clinical phenotypes observed in human populations, and characterize the maternal immune activation and placental response in our model. Here, we report that maternal immune activation triggered by benzene exposure during pregnancy leads to increased resorptions, abnormal placenta development and low birth weight of fetus. More importantly, there is a sexual dimorphic response to benzene exposure in female and male placentas. In the male placenta, the transcriptome changes reveal a more immunologically relevant profile, while females have a metabolically related profile. Furthermore, we discover the sexual dimorphic response could be a consequence of the sexual dimorphism of placenta at baseline, which indicates the significant difference between sexes in terms of the immunological processes in the placenta, both in human and mouse. Therefore, our findings established a benzene exposure mouse model and indicated the sexual dimorphism of placenta, which provides valuable reference for the future pregnancy studies.
Project description:Males and females exhibit profound differences in immune responses and disease susceptibility. However, the factors responsible for sex differences in tissue immunity remain poorly understood. Here, we uncover a dominant role for type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) in shaping sexual immune dimorphism within the skin. Mechanistically, negative regulation of ILC2 by androgens leads to a reduction in dendritic cell (DC) accumulation and activation in males, and reduced tissue immunity. Collectively, this work uncovers an androgen-ILC2-DC axis in controlling sexual immune dimorphism. Moreover, this work proposes that tissue immune set-points are defined by the dual action of sex hormones and the microbiota, with sex hormones controlling the strength of local immunity and microbiota calibrating its tone.
Project description:We have done an expression experiment studying sexual dimorphism in gene expression in two species of songbirds, the zebra finch (Teaniopigia guttata) and the common whitethroat (Sylvia communis).
Project description:Hepatic gene expression shows sexual dimorphism. Here, we investigated the role of BCL6 in establishing sexual dimorphism in hepatic gene expression and created Bcl6Flox/Flox,Alb-Cre mice and performed RNAseq from livers of 4- and 8-week-old male and female Ctrl and BCL6 liver knock-out mice.
Project description:Males and females exhibit profound differences in immune responses and disease susceptibility. However, the factors responsible for sex differences in tissue immunity remain poorly understood. Here, we uncover a dominant role for type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) in shaping sexual immune dimorphism within the skin. Mechanistically, negative regulation of ILC2 by androgens leads to a reduction in dendritic cell (DC) accumulation and activation in males, and reduced tissue immunity. Collectively, this work uncovers an androgen-ILC2-DC axis in controlling sexual immune dimorphism. Moreover, this work proposes that tissue immune set-points are defined by the dual action of sex hormones and the microbiota, with sex hormones controlling the strength of local immunity and microbiota calibrating its tone.