Two major endocrine/metabolic diseases, obesity and type 2 diabetes, are among the most significant public health issues in modern society with important sex- and gender-based differences. As with many areas of science, most clinical and basic studies have been focused primarily on male subjects. While dramatic sexual differences have been reported in the susceptibility to obesity and the prevalence of obesity-related metabolic disorders, the sex-specific mechanisms that regulate energy balance and body weight maintenance remain poorly understood. The significant differences between males and females in the regulation of energy homeostasis suggest the need to create more targeted and personalized therapies based on gender. Unfortunately, very little work addresses these potentially significant differences between sexes.
The Endocrine system plays an essential role in the regulation of energy metabolism. The secretion and effects of the hormones, as well as the function of their receptors, are the basis of many biological differences between the sexes in metabolic disease. Sex hormones including androgens, estrogens, and progestogen are fundamental for sex differences in systemic energy expenditure, brain appetite control, adipose tissue distribution, metabolic adaptation to environmental challenges, adipogenesis, and adipocyte metabolism. Important sex differences also exist in other endocrine systems such as thyroid hormones, insulin/glucagon metabolism, adipocytokines, myokine, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which all contribute to whole-body metabolism. These endocrine systems interact with each other in a complex relationship to maintain systemic energy homeostasis.
We welcome reviews, mini reviews, perspectives, and original research articles addressing these questions across diverse fields, including but not limited to:
• Sex differences in hormone release and receptor expression during different physiological (chow vs. high-fat diet feeding, fed vs. fasted, sedentary vs. active, or hyperglycemia vs. hypoglycemia) or pathophysiological (obesity, diabetes, or hypertension) statuses.
• Sexual dimorphic responses in metabolic adaptation to environmental challenges (cold/heat exposure, or hypoxia/hyperoxia).
• Sex-dependent molecular/cellular mechanisms in the endocrine control of food intake, substrate utilization, energy expenditure, and physical activity.
• Sex-specific interorgan crosstalk mediated by endocrine mechanisms.
• Potential strategies for endocrine treatments of metabolic dysfunction in males and females.
This Research Topic aims at compiling research elucidating the endocrine regulation of energy homeostasis in different sexes and providing novel insights into the interorgan communication mechanism of circulating hormones in different physiological and pathological context.
Two major endocrine/metabolic diseases, obesity and type 2 diabetes, are among the most significant public health issues in modern society with important sex- and gender-based differences. As with many areas of science, most clinical and basic studies have been focused primarily on male subjects. While dramatic sexual differences have been reported in the susceptibility to obesity and the prevalence of obesity-related metabolic disorders, the sex-specific mechanisms that regulate energy balance and body weight maintenance remain poorly understood. The significant differences between males and females in the regulation of energy homeostasis suggest the need to create more targeted and personalized therapies based on gender. Unfortunately, very little work addresses these potentially significant differences between sexes.
The Endocrine system plays an essential role in the regulation of energy metabolism. The secretion and effects of the hormones, as well as the function of their receptors, are the basis of many biological differences between the sexes in metabolic disease. Sex hormones including androgens, estrogens, and progestogen are fundamental for sex differences in systemic energy expenditure, brain appetite control, adipose tissue distribution, metabolic adaptation to environmental challenges, adipogenesis, and adipocyte metabolism. Important sex differences also exist in other endocrine systems such as thyroid hormones, insulin/glucagon metabolism, adipocytokines, myokine, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which all contribute to whole-body metabolism. These endocrine systems interact with each other in a complex relationship to maintain systemic energy homeostasis.
We welcome reviews, mini reviews, perspectives, and original research articles addressing these questions across diverse fields, including but not limited to:
• Sex differences in hormone release and receptor expression during different physiological (chow vs. high-fat diet feeding, fed vs. fasted, sedentary vs. active, or hyperglycemia vs. hypoglycemia) or pathophysiological (obesity, diabetes, or hypertension) statuses.
• Sexual dimorphic responses in metabolic adaptation to environmental challenges (cold/heat exposure, or hypoxia/hyperoxia).
• Sex-dependent molecular/cellular mechanisms in the endocrine control of food intake, substrate utilization, energy expenditure, and physical activity.
• Sex-specific interorgan crosstalk mediated by endocrine mechanisms.
• Potential strategies for endocrine treatments of metabolic dysfunction in males and females.
This Research Topic aims at compiling research elucidating the endocrine regulation of energy homeostasis in different sexes and providing novel insights into the interorgan communication mechanism of circulating hormones in different physiological and pathological context.
