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

November 2021 in “ Reviews in endocrine and metabolic disorders ”

Maria Luisa Brandi

sex hormones estrogen testosterone immune response genetic differences ACE2 gene SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 ACE2

TLDR Sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone may affect COVID-19 severity differently in men and women, potentially influencing prevention and treatment strategies.

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.

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

Research cited in this study

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