Observational and experimental studies have established a differential regulation of the immune system in males and females. This contributes to a skewed incidence and pathology between males and females for several immune-driven diseases such as allergic-, infectious-, autoimmune-, and cancerous disease. Some of these differences are mediated by the immune modulatory properties of sex hormones and mainly become apparent at the age of puberty. As a result, post-pubertal individuals may be at an altered risk of developing immune-driven disease or face a transition in disease phenotype of an already established disease during puberty.
This Research Topic will take a broad approach and encourage the submission of original research papers and reviews with a clinical and/or basic science/mechanistic-focus to explore mechanisms of immune-driven disease and the impact of puberty on the risk of either disease development or change in disease phenotype/severity of an already established disease. The topic also aims to explore highlight potential therapeutic opportunities that arise from an improved mechanistic understanding of this modulation which may enable targeting these mechanisms to ameliorate the impact of puberty on disease in the future.
The research topic will focus on exploring the mechanisms of immune-driven diseases, particularly mechanisms that contribute to shifts in either prevalence or disease pathology during- or following puberty in males and/or females, as well as innovative strategies to mitigate the impact of puberty on these diseases.
Examples of immune-driven diseases where puberty may be relevant includes but is not limited to:
• Atopic diseases, such as allergic asthma where a shift towards increased prevalence and severity is observed in females following puberty.
• Autoimmune disease, such as Multiple Sclerosis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus where there may be no difference in prevalence between males and females prior to puberty but after puberty, autoimmune disease tends to be dominated by females.
• Infectious diseases where the risk of severe disease increases following puberty, as exemplified by Epstein-Barr Virus infection, where females tend to mount a stronger response to the virus compared to males.
Original papers, reviews, and mini-reviews will all be considered.
Observational and experimental studies have established a differential regulation of the immune system in males and females. This contributes to a skewed incidence and pathology between males and females for several immune-driven diseases such as allergic-, infectious-, autoimmune-, and cancerous disease. Some of these differences are mediated by the immune modulatory properties of sex hormones and mainly become apparent at the age of puberty. As a result, post-pubertal individuals may be at an altered risk of developing immune-driven disease or face a transition in disease phenotype of an already established disease during puberty.
This Research Topic will take a broad approach and encourage the submission of original research papers and reviews with a clinical and/or basic science/mechanistic-focus to explore mechanisms of immune-driven disease and the impact of puberty on the risk of either disease development or change in disease phenotype/severity of an already established disease. The topic also aims to explore highlight potential therapeutic opportunities that arise from an improved mechanistic understanding of this modulation which may enable targeting these mechanisms to ameliorate the impact of puberty on disease in the future.
The research topic will focus on exploring the mechanisms of immune-driven diseases, particularly mechanisms that contribute to shifts in either prevalence or disease pathology during- or following puberty in males and/or females, as well as innovative strategies to mitigate the impact of puberty on these diseases.
Examples of immune-driven diseases where puberty may be relevant includes but is not limited to:
• Atopic diseases, such as allergic asthma where a shift towards increased prevalence and severity is observed in females following puberty.
• Autoimmune disease, such as Multiple Sclerosis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus where there may be no difference in prevalence between males and females prior to puberty but after puberty, autoimmune disease tends to be dominated by females.
• Infectious diseases where the risk of severe disease increases following puberty, as exemplified by Epstein-Barr Virus infection, where females tend to mount a stronger response to the virus compared to males.
Original papers, reviews, and mini-reviews will all be considered.