Are Sex Hormones Promising Candidates to Explain Sex Disparities in the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The document "Are sex hormones promising candidates to explain sex disparities in the COVID-19 pandemic?" investigates the role of sex hormones, specifically estrogen and testosterone, in the differing impacts of COVID-19 on men and women. The paper suggests that estrogen, which enhances immune response, and testosterone, which can suppress it, may influence the severity of the disease, with men often being more severely affected. The paper also discusses the potential impact of genetic differences between males and females, including the role of the ACE2 gene, which is over-expressed in females and is the main receptor for SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry. The document concludes that understanding these sex-based differences could aid in developing more effective prevention and treatment strategies, including vaccine design. However, more research is needed to fully understand these relationships and their implications.