Men vs. Women: Scientists Uncover Dramatic Differences in How the Immune System Ages
Published in Diseases!.
Men and women show striking differences in how their immune systems function and age, influencing susceptibility to infections, cancer, and autoimmune disease. A large-scale, cell-by-cell analysis now reveals that immune aging follows distinct biological paths in each sex, uncovering specific cells and genes behind these shifts.
Men and women experience immune aging differently, affecting disease risks. New data-driven research identifies key biological differences, supporting more personalized healthcare.
Men and women do not age the same way at the level of the immune system, and those differences may shape who gets sick, when, and why.
Scientists have long known that men are generally more prone to infections and many cancers, while women tend to have stronger immune defenses and respond better to vaccines. But that advantage comes with a tradeoff. A more active immune system is also more likely to misfire, which helps explain why roughly 80% of autoimmune diseases occur in women.
What has remained unclear is how these differences evolve over time. A new study from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center – Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS), published in Nature Aging, now offers one of the most detailed answers yet. By tracking changes in the immune system across adulthood, researchers found that aging follows distinct biological paths in men and women, down to the level of individual cells and genes.
Women’s Immune Aging vs. Men’s Cancer Risk
The findings show that women experience more pronounced immune changes with age, including a rise in inflammatory immune cells. This may help explain why autoimmune diseases are more common in women, especially later in life, and why some inflammatory conditions worsen after menopause.