Sexual Dimorphism in Immunity to Oral Bacterial-based Diseases

Objectives: Sex is a biological variable that affects immune responses to bacterial and other types of infectious agents. Males and females are known to have differential oral bacterial disease burden in periodontal and endodontic disease. Understanding that there is contribution from both sex and gender to these oral diseases, we present recent sex-based findings that provide a pathobiological basis for differences observed between males and females. Methods: We used established preclinical models of endodontic and periodontal infections to address sex differences in neutrophil migration and osteoclast differentiation studies in vitro. Results: Sexual dimorphism of immune responses with respect to neutrophil trafficking and osteoclast differentiation and formation were found to be due to differences in specific chemokine ligand and receptor expression. Blocking antibody studies confirmed these data in vitro. Conclusions: We also emphasize that sex, as a biological variable, should be considered in these types of oral immunological studies. In the future, oral health scientists should provide the evidence for advancing personalized medicine and for reducing sex and gender disparities in oral health care related to oral bacterial infections.