Sexual Dimorphism in the Gut Microbiome
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The gut microbiome has received increasing interest in past years due to its link to many diseases and its potential in therapy. One often-overlooked and newer area of research is the sexual dimorphism in the gut microbiome, and how it relates to the sex differences in behavior, diseases, and the underlying makeup between that of males and females. Reviewing the literature has demonstrated that in several organisms, adult males and females do naturally have different compositions of gut microbes. Differences between the sexes in gut microbiome have also been correlated with differences between the sexes in social behavior and various disorders. A thorough understanding of sexual dimorphism in the gut microbiome is crucial to designing better studies, understanding the mechanism of the diseases and behaviors tied to the sexual dimorphism in the microbiome, and fine-tuning more precise treatments that account for the sex of the individual.
Downloads
Article Details
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Ownership of the copyright shall remain with the Author, subject to IUJUR’s use and the rights granted by the Creative Commons license assigned by the Author. A Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license will be applied to the published work unless otherwise indicated in the Student Author Contract. The CC BY-NC 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) lets others remix, tweak, and build upon the published Work non-commercially, and although the new works must also acknowledge the original IUJUR publication and be noncommercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
References
Chi, L., Gao, B., Bian, X., Tu, P., Ru, H., & Lu, K. (2017).Manganese-induced sex-specific gut microbiome perturbations in C57BL/6 mice. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 331, 142–153.
Chi, L., Mahbub, R., Gao, B., Bian, X., Tu, P., Ru, H., & Lu, K. (2017). Nicotine Alters the Gut Microbiome and Metabolites of Gut-Brain Interactions in a Sex-Specific Manner. Chemical Research in Toxicology, 30(12), 2110–2119.
Davis, D.J., Hecht, P.M., Jasarevic, E., Beversdorf, D.Q., Will, M.J., Fritsche, K., & Gillespie, C.H. (2017). Sex-specific effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the microbiome and behavior of socially-isolated mice. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 59, 38–48.
Donohoe, D.R., Garge, N., Zhang, X., Sun, W., O’Connell, T.M., Bunger, M.K., & Bultman, S.J. (2011). The microbiome and butyrate regulate energy metabolism and autophagy in the mammalian colon. Cell Metabolism, 13(5), 517–526.
Fairweather, D., Frisancho-Kiss, S., & Rose, N.R. (2008). Sex Differences in Autoimmune Disease from a Pathological Perspective. The American Journal of Pathology, 173(3), 600–609.
Fischbach, M.A., & Segre, J.A. (2016). Signaling in Host-Associated Microbial Communities. Cell, 164(6), 1288–1300.
Foley, K.A., MacFabe, D.F., Vaz, A., Ossenkopp, K.P., & Kavaliers, M. (2014). Sexually dimorphic effects of prenatal exposure to propionic acid and lipopolysaccharide on social behavior in neonatal, adolescent, and adult rats: Implications for autism spectrum disorders. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 39, 68–78.
Fombonne, E. (2005). Epidemiology of autistic disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 66 Suppl. 10, 3–8.
Frost, G., Sleeth, M.L., Sahuri-Arisoylu, M., Lizarbe, B., Cerdan, S., Brody, L., & Bell, J.D. (2014). The short-chain fatty acid acetate reduces appetite via a central homeostatic mechanism. Nature Communications, 5, 3611.
Fukui, S., Schwarcz, R., Rapoport, S.I., Takada, Y., & Smith, Q.R. (1991). Blood-brain barrier transport of kynurenines: implications for brain synthesis and metabolism. Journal of Neurochemistry, 56(6), 2007–2017.
Ghaisas, S., Maher, J., & Kanthasamy, A. (2016). Gut microbiome in health and disease: linking the microbiome-gut-brain axis and environemental factors in the pathogenesis of systemic and neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 158, 52-62.
Girón-González, J.A., Moral, F.J., Elvira, J., García-Gil, D., Guerrero, F., Gavilán, I., & Escobar, L. (2000). Consistent production of a higher TH1:TH2 cytokine ratio by stimulated T cells in men compared with women. European Journal of Endocrinology, 143(1), 31–36.
Hague, A., Singh, B., & Paraskeva, C. (1997). Butyrate acts as a survival factor for colonic epithelial cells: further fuel for the in vivo versus in vitro debate. Gastroenterology, 112(3), 1036–1040.
Islam, K.B.M.S., Fukiya, S., Hagio, M., Fujii, N., Ishizuka, S., Ooka, T., & Yokota, A. (2011). Bile Acid Is a Host Factor That Regulates the Composition of the Cecal Microbiota in Rats. Gastroenterology, 141(5), 1773–1781.
Kant, R., Rasinkangas, P., Satokari, R., Pietilä, T.E., & Palva, A. (2015). Genome Sequence of the Butyrate-Producing Anaerobic Bacterium Anaerostipes hadrus PEL 85. Genome Announcements, 3(2), e00224–15.
Klein, L.C., & Corwin, E.J. (2002). Seeing the unexpected: how sex differences in stress responses may provide a new perspective on the manifestation of psychiatric disorders. Current Psychiatry Reports, 4(6), 441–448.
Klein, S.L., & Flanagan, K.L. (2016). Sex differences in immune responses. Nature Reviews Immunology, 16(10), 626–638.
Kornstein, S.G., Schatzberg, A.F., Thase, M.E., Yonkers, K.A., McCullough, J.P., Keitner, G.I., & Keller, M.B. (2000). Gender differences in chronic major and double depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 60(1), 1–11.
Kozik, A.J., Nakatsu, C.H., Chun, H., & Jones-Hall, Y.L. (2017). Age, sex, and TNF associated differences in the gut microbiota of mice and their impact on acute TNBS colitis. Experimental and Molecular Pathology, 103(3), 311–319.
Lee, K.C., Kil, D.Y., & Sul, W.J. (2017). Cecal microbiome divergence of broiler chickens by sex and body weight. Journal of Microbiology (Seoul, Korea), 55(12), 939–945.
Li, T. & Chiang, J.Y.L. (2015). Bile acids as metabolic regulators. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, 31(2), 159–165.
Macfabe, D.F. (2012). Short-chain fatty acid fermentation products of the gut microbiome: implications in autism spectrum disorders. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, 23.
Maes, M., Ringel, K., Kubera, M., Berk, M., & Rybakowski, J. (2012). Increased autoimmune activity against 5-HT: a key component of depression that is associated with inflammation and activation of cell-mediated immunity, and with severity and staging of depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 136(3), 386–392.
Markle, J.G.M., Frank, D.N., Mortin-Toth, S., Robertson, C.E., Feazel, L.M., Rolle-Kampczyk, U., & Danska, J.S. (2013). Sex Differences in the Gut Microbiome Drive Hormone-Dependent Regulation of Autoimmunity. Science, 339(6123), 1084–1088.
Martin, L.A., Neighbors, H.W., & Griffith, D.M. (2013). The experience of symptoms of depression in men vs. women: analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. JAMA Psychiatry, 70(10), 1100–1106.
Org, E., Mehrabian, M., Parks, B. W., Shipkova, P., Liu, X., Drake, T.A., & Lusis, A.J. (2016). Sex differences and hormonal effects on gut microbiota composition in mice. Gut Microbes, 7(4), 313–322.
Orlikov, A. & Ryzov, I. (1991). Caffeine-induced anxiety and increase of kynurenine concentration in plasma of healthy subjects: a pilot study. Biological Psychiatry, 29(4), 391–396.
Pinkhasov, R.M., Wong, J., Kashanian, J., Lee, M., Samadi, D., Pinkhasov, M.M., & Shabsigh, R. (2010). Are men shortchanged on health? Perspective on health care utilization and health risk behavior in men and women in the United States. The International Journal of Clinical Practice, 64(4), 457–487.
Pogun, S. & Yararbas, G. (2009). Sex Differences in Nicotine Action. In Nicotine Psychopharmacology (pp. 261–291). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Rezvani, A.H., & Levin, E.D. (2001). Cognitive effects of nicotine. Biological Psychiatry, 49(3), 258–267.
Schwarcz, R., Bruno, J.P., Muchowski, P.J., & Wu, H.Q. (2012). Kynurenines in the mammalian brain: when physiology meets pathology. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 13(7), 465–477.
Shin, N.R., Whon, T.W., & Bae, J.W. (2015). Proteobacteria: microbial signature of dysbiosis in gut microbiota. Trends in Biotechnology, 33(9), 496–503.
Singer, S., Rossi, S., Verzosa, S., Hashim, A., Lonow, R., Cooper, T., & Lajtha, A. (2004). Nicotine-induced changes in neurotransmitter levels in brain areas associated with cognitive function. Neurochemical Research, 29(9), 1779–1792.
Sylvia, K.E., Jewell, C.P., Rendon, N.M., St. John, E.A., & Demas, G.E. (2017). Sex-specific modulation of the gut microbiome and behavior in Siberian hamsters. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 60, 51–62.
Toth, E., Sershen, H., Hashim, A., Vizi, E.S., & Lajtha, A. (1992). Effect of nicotine on extracellular levels of neurotransmitters assessed by microdialysis in various brain regions: role of glutamic acid. Neurochemical Research, 17(3), 265–271.
Trigunaite, A., Dimo, J., & Jørgensen, T.N. (2015). Suppressive effects of androgens on the immune system. Cellular Immunology, 294(2), 87–94.
Udenfriend, S., Weissbach, H., & Bogdanski, D.F. (1957). Biochemical findings relating to the action of serotonin. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 66(3), 602–608.
Verthelyi, D., & Klinman, D.M. (2000). Sex hormone levels correlate with the activity of cytokine-secreting cells in vivo. Immunology, 100(3), 384–390.
Vos, P., Garrity, G., Jones, D., Krieg, N., Ludwig, W., Rainey, F., Schleifer, K., & Whitman, W. (2009). Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology: Volume 3: The Firmicutes. Springer.
Vrieze, A., de Groot, P.F., Kootte, R.S., Knaapen, M., Nood, E., Nieuwdorp, M (2013). Fecal transplant: A safe and sustainable clinical therapy for restoring intestinal microbial balance in human disease? Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology, 27(1), 127–137.
Whitman, W.B., Coleman, D.C., & Wiebe, W.J. (1998). Prokaryotes: the unseen majority. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 95(12), 6578–6583.Yu, Z.J. & Wecker, L. (1994). Chronic nicotine administration differentially affects neurotransmitter release from rat striatal slices. Journal of Neurochemistry, 63(1), 186–194.
Yurkovetskiy, L., Burrows, M., Khan, A.A., Graham, L., Volchkov, P., Becker, L. & Chervonsky, A.A. (2013). Gender Bias in Autoimmunity Is Influenced by Microbiota. Immunity, 39(2), 400–412.
Zelinkova, Z. & der Woude, J. (2014). Gender and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Journal of Clinical Cell Immunology, 5(4).