Cells. Sex does matter in drug research
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35830/mcya.vi25.641Keywords:
Gender equity, SAGER guidelines, Enviromentally determined sexAbstract
Given the ethical challenges involved in vertebrate research, the use of parasitic invertebrates and flies has been proposed as alternative models. However, this choice may imply a denial of the rights of these animals, and by omitting mention of sex, it loses sight of a complexity that, in many cases, exceeds that of sex in rats. In these species, in addition to chromosomal definition, sex is influenced by environmental factors. The training of researchers must include a gender and sex equity perspective, recognizing differences even at the cellular level. Even within the binary model, there are multiple differences between men and women, such as the density and expression of cellular progesterone receptors or the lower concentration of certain enzymes in one sex or the other. However, much research continues to be conducted almost exclusively with men as subjects. Until we fully understand the biology of human sex, both in laboratory models and cell lines, the variable “sex” should be included in all studies, in accordance with the SAGER (Sex and Gender Equity in Research) guidelines. These guidelines propose that cellular, molecular, and biochemical biology establish the chromosomal sex of the sample. However, nothing is said about environmentally determined sex in various animal species. Systematically including the variable sex would enrich our knowledge of biological differences and similarities, helping to reduce disparities in medical treatment. Paradoxically, a treatment can be unequal precisely when it is applied equally, without considering individual differences, as is the case with sex.
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