More than 1,000 genetic switches reveal why female immunity is different
More than 1,000 genetic switches behave differently in male and female immune cells, helping explain why women are much more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Female immune systems appear genetically tuned for stronger inflammatory responses—a powerful defense against infection that may also make dangerous immune misfires more likely.
New research from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW Sydney has identified more than 1,000 genetic switches that behave differently between male and female immune cells. This discovery may explain why women are more likely to develop autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, which can affect nine women for every one man.
Previously, researchers struggled to study these differences due to limitations in technology, but new single-cell analysis techniques allowed scientists to examine individual immune cells in unprecedented detail. The study, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, sequenced over 1.25 million peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nearly 1,000 healthy people, revealing clear differences between male and female immune profiles.
Females had more B cells and regulatory T cells, while males had more monocytes. These genetic switches, known as expression quantitative trait loci, provide a new level of insight into the biological differences between male and female immune systems, potentially guiding the development of more personalized treatments for autoimmune conditions.
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