疟疾的性别二态性:雌激素的潜在作用

Sexual dimorphism in malaria: the potential role of estrogen

在全球范围内,疟疾仍然是一个重大的公共卫生问题。疟疾具有明显的性别二态性,男性感染者的症状和死亡率往往比女性更严重。然而,在许多有关疟原虫感染的实验性研究中,性别因素却常常被忽略。雌激素作为一种主要的女性性激素,具有调节免疫反应和炎症信号的功能,在疟疾感染的性别差异中起到了重要作用。本综述拟尝试从雌激素的基本生理功能和免疫调控作用出发,回顾并总结以往报道的关于疟疾感染性别差异的流行病学证据,深入分析雌激素如何影响疟疾感染及其在疟疾感染中的可能作用。由于国内目前尚无关于疟疾性别差异性的综述性总结,希望本综述能引起研究者对疟疾性别二态性的重视。了解和重视疟疾的性别二态性,以及基于这种二态性背后的原因,可以帮助我们更加深入地理解疟疾的病理和其所引起的个体免疫反应,为相关基础研究提供新的思路,并为今后的疟疾防控工作提供帮助。

Malaria remains a significant public health issue on a global scale.The disease exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism,with male-infected individuals often presenting more severe symptoms and higher mortality rates compared to females.However,gender factors are frequently overlooked in many experimental studies related to Plasmodium infection.As a primary female sex hormone,estrogen plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses and inflammatory signals,contributing significantly to the gender differences observed in malaria infections.Here,starting from the basic physiological functions and immune regulatory roles of estrogen,review and summarize the epidemiological evidence of gender differences in malaria infection reported in the past,and delve into how estrogen affects malaria infection and its potential roles within the context of the disease.Given the current absence of a comprehensive review on sex differences in malaria in China,we hope that this article will draw researchers'attention to the sexual dimorphism in malaria.Understanding and emphasizing the sexual dimorphism in malaria,as well as the underlying causes,can help us gain a more profound comprehension of the pathology of malaria and the individual immune responses it elicits.This knowledge may provide new insights for related basic research and potentially aid in future malaria prevention and control efforts.