title: Sex hormones and modulation of immunity against leishmaniasis.
abstract: Sex-associated hormones such as estradiol, testosterone and progesterone have all been shown to modulate immune responses, which can result in differential disease outcomes between males and females, as well as between pregnant and nonpregnant females. Most parasitic diseases, including leishmaniasis, usually result in more severe disease in males compared with females. This review highlights our current knowledge concerning the role of sex hormones in modulating leishmaniasis in both clinical settings and experimental disease models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Snider
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lezama-Davila
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Abhay R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Satoskar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D009569:Nitric Oxide