Cells (Mar 2024)

Immune Cells, Gut Microbiota, and Vaccines: A Gender Perspective

  • Pierluigi Rio,
  • Mario Caldarelli,
  • Monica Chiantore,
  • Francesca Ocarino,
  • Marcello Candelli,
  • Antonio Gasbarrini,
  • Giovanni Gambassi,
  • Rossella Cianci

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13060526
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 6
p. 526

Abstract

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The development of preventive and therapeutic vaccines has played a crucial role in preventing infections and treating chronic and non-communicable diseases, respectively. For a long time, the influence of sex differences on modifying health and disease has not been addressed in clinical and preclinical studies. The interaction of genetic, epigenetic, and hormonal factors plays a role in the sex-related differences in the epidemiology of diseases, clinical manifestations, and the response to treatment. Moreover, sex is one of the leading factors influencing the gut microbiota composition, which could further explain the different predisposition to diseases in men and women. In the same way, differences between sexes occur also in the immune response to vaccines. This narrative review aims to highlight these differences, focusing on the immune response to vaccines. Comparative data about immune responses, vaccine effectiveness, and side effects are reviewed. Hence, the intricate interplay between sex, immunity, and the gut microbiota will be discussed for its potential role in the response to vaccination. Embracing a sex-oriented perspective in research may improve the efficacy of the immune response and allow the design of tailored vaccine schedules.

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