Sex Differences in Otolaryngology: Focus on the Emerging Role of Estrogens in Inflammatory and Pro-Resolving Responses

• Main Authors: Sheng-Dean Luo, Tai-Jan Chiu, Wei-Chih Chen, Ching-Shuen Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: sex hormone; ENT diseases; estrogens; resolution of inflammation; resolvins; specialized lipid mediators
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/16/8768

Otolaryngology (also known as ear, nose, and throat (ENT)) diseases can be significantly affected by the level of sex hormones, which indicates that sex differences affect the manifestation, pathophysiology, and outcomes of these diseases. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that proinflammatory responses in ENT diseases are linked to the level of sex hormones. The sex hormone receptors are present on a wide variety of immune cells; therefore, it is evident that they play crucial roles in regulating the immune system and hence affect the disease progression of ENT diseases. In this review, we focus on how sex hormones, particularly estrogens, regulate ENT diseases, such as chronic rhinosinusitis, vocal fold polyps, thyroid cancer, Sjögren’s syndrome, and head and neck cancers, from the perspectives of inflammatory responses and specialized proresolving mediator-driven resolution. This paper aims to clarify why considering sex differences in the field of basic and medical research on otolaryngology is a key component to successful therapy for both males and females in the future.