Biological sex affects vaccine efficacy and protection against influenza in mice

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1805268115
• Publication Date: 2018-11-19T20:25:57Z
• Authors: Ashley L. Fink; Kyrra Engle; Rebecca L. Ursin; Wan-Yee Tang; Sabra L. Klein
• Keywords: Vaccine efficacy

Significance Biological sex is typically not considered in the evaluation of vaccine responses and protection against infection. We show that female mice mount greater humoral cell-mediated immune to influenza infection vaccination than males. Females can rely solely on antibody for following vaccination, which associated with expression toll-like receptor 7 ( Tlr7 ) caused by epigenetic mechanisms B cells from females. Deletion reduces differences vaccine-induced protection. The increased contributes production females males, has a functional advantage efficacy.