Sex Differences in Lung Response to Environmental Agents
Environmental Cardiopulmonary Disease Group Considerable sex
differences exist in the risk, incidence and pathogenesis of
lung diseases in humans (Figure 1). Since researchers use mouse
models to study basic pathogenic mechanisms and potential
therapies for a variety of human lung diseases, it is important
to recognize factors that might influence experimental endpoints
of interest. Therefore, the roles of sex hormones have received
significant attention, particularly with respect to their
effects on lung function and the response of the lung to a
variety of environmental agents. Sex hormones and basal lung
function The group has documented that basal lung function in
naïve male and female mice does not differ substantially, but
that male mice have greater airway responsiveness to
methacholine aerosol than female mice (Card et al, J Immunol,
2006). Subsequent studies have shown that male sex hormones
promote vagally-mediated reflex airway responsiveness