Study of gender-affirming care reveals immune system sex differences
Researchers have long known that, in general, women are more susceptible to autoimmune disorders than men, who are more vulnerable to infectious disease. But why? New research drawing on people who’ve undergone gender-affirming care suggests that hormones are a key part of the answer.
A team led by Swedish scientists monitored 23 trans men who were treated with testosterone, collecting blood samples before and after treatment to see how their immune cells changed. While the abundance and behavior of many cell types stayed the same, certain cells associated with autoimmune responses became rarer and less reactive to activating signals. Conversely, other cellular responses linked to inflammation strengthened.
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