Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Sex differences in autoimmune disease

  • Commentary
  • Published:

From Nature Immunology

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in women than men. A new interest in understanding the biology of this difference as well as funding opportunities have focused attention on research priorities in sex differences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1: The sex distribution of the major autoimmune diseases.
Figure 2: A model for the multifactorial nature of autoimmune disease.

References

  1. Beeson, P. B. Am. J. Med. 96, 457–462 (1994).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Fishman, J. R., Wick, J. G. & Koenig, B. A. Agenda for Research on Women's Health for the 21st Century: NIH Publication 99-4385. Vol.2, 15–19 (NIH, Bethesda, MD, 1999).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Jawaheer, D. et al. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 68, 927–936 (2001).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Collier, E., Diamond, B., Weinblatt, A. C., Whitacre, C. & Mitchell, K. C. Agenda for Research on Women's Health for the 21st Century: NIH Publication 99-4386. Vol. 2, 93–100. (NIH, Bethesda, MD,1999).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Whitacre, C. C. et al. Sex Differences in Autoimmune Disease: Focus on Multiple Sclerosis. Science (1999). http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/983519.shl.

  6. Whitacre, C. C., Reingold, S. C. & O'Looney, P. A. & Task Force on Gender, Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmunity Science 283, 1277–1278 (1999).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. National Institutes of Health Report of the Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee. (2000) http://www.niaid.nih.gov/publications/autoimmune.htm.

  8. Wizemann, T. M. & and Pardue, M.-L. Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does sex matter? (Board on Health Sciences Policy, Institute of Medicine, 2001).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Eidinger, D. & Garrett, T. J. Exp. Med. 136, 1098–1116 (1972).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Weinstein, Y., Ran, S. & Segal, S. J. Immunol. 132, 656–661 (1984).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Michaels, R. & Rogers, K. Pediatrics 47, 120–123 (1971).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Vranckx, R., Muylle, L., Cole, J., Moldenhaser, R. & Peetermans, M. Vox Sang. 50, 220–222 (1986).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Amadori, A. et al. Nature Med. 1, 1279–1283 (1995).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Huygen, K. & Palfliet, K. Cell. Immunol. 85, 75–81 (1984).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Wynn, D., Rodriguez, M., O'Fallon, W. M. & Kurland, L. T. Neurology 40, 780–786 (1990).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Gilmore, W., Weiner, L. & Correale, J. J. Immunol. 158, 446–451 (1997).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Araneo, B., Dowell, T., Diegel, M. & Daynes, R. Blood 78, 688–699 (1991).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Nelson, J. & Ostensen, M. Rheum. Dis. Clin. N. Am. 23, 195–212 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Confavreux, C., Hutchinson, M., Hours, M. M., Cortinovis-Tourniaire, P. & Moreau T. N. Engl. J. Med. 339, 285–291 (1998).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Silver, R. & Branch, D. Clin. Obstet. Gynaecol. 6, 565–600 (1992).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lockshin, M. Arthritis Rheum. 32, 665–670 (1989).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Petri, M. Rheum. Dis. Clin. N. Am. 20, 87–118 (1994).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Spector, T. D. et al. Clin Rheumatol. 8, 37–41 (1989).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Nelson, J. L. Lupus 8, 370–374 (1999).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Nelson, J. L. et al. N. Engl. J. Med. 329, 466–471 (1993).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Jansson, L. & Holmdahl, R. Inflamm. Res. 47, 290–301 (1998).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Kim, S, Liva, S. M., Dalal, M. A., Verity, M. A. & Voskuhl, R.R. Neurology 52, 1230–1238 (1999).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Dalal, M., Kim, S. & Voskuhl, R. R. J. Immunol. 159, 3–6 (1997).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Wilder, R. Annu. Rev. Immunol. 13, 307–338 (1995).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Griffin, A. C. & Whitacre, C. C. J. Neuroimmunol. 35, 53–64 (1991).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, Columbus, 43210-1239, OH, USA

    Caroline C. Whitacre

Authors
  1. Caroline C. Whitacre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Whitacre, C. Sex differences in autoimmune disease. Nat Immunol 2, 777–780 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni0901-777

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ni0901-777

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation