Sex Differences in Redox Biology: A Mandatory New Point of View Approaching Human Inflammatory Diseases

Straface Elisabetta, Malorni Walter, and Pietraforte Donatella. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. January 2017, 26(1): 44-45. doi:10.1089/ars.2016.6931.

Cells from females and males respond differently to chemical and microbial stressors. “Male neurons” are more sensitive to stress induced by oxidants and excitatory neurotransmitters, whereas “female neurons” are more susceptible to some stimuli that prompt apoptosis. The growing interest for the redox medicine in human health has recently suggested a reappraisal of the disease-triggering oxidant-generating enzymes as suitable disease-relevant therapeutic targets. In the light of the reported lines of evidence, a sex- and gender perspective should drive future basic research and pre-clinical studies before starting any pharmacological research aimed at the development of new drugs candidates to counteract redox-related human diseases.


Sex Differences in Redox Biology: A Mandatory New Point of View Approaching Human Inflammatory Diseases