Sabra Klein

Last updated
Sabra Lynn Klein
Alma mater Johns Hopkins University
University of Georgia
Randolph–Macon College
Spouse Drew Maloney
Scientific career
Institutions Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Thesis Behavioral, physiological and evolutionary factors mediating sex and species differences in immune function among rodents  (1998)

Sabra Klein is an American microbiologist who is a Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research considers how sex and gender impact the immune system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Klein investigated why men and women have different COVID-19 outcomes. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Klein earned her bachelor's degree in psychology at Randolph–Macon College and graduated in 1992. [2] She moved to the University of Georgia for her graduate studies, where she studied the impact of prenatal stress on the immune systems of rodents. [3] She completed her doctoral research in behavioural neuroscience at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she studied the sex and species differences in rodent immune function. [2] [4] Klein was a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Gregory E. Glass. [5]

Research and career

Klein investigated the mechanisms that allow rodents to carry hantaviridae. [6] To do this she monitored the immune response of Norway rats infected with Seoul orthohantavirus and showed that they have high numbers of regulatory T cells. [6] By inactivating regulatory T cells and monitoring the presence of orthohantavirus in the rodents, Klein showed that hantaviridae viruses achieve persistence by exploiting these regulatory T cells. [6] This allows rodents to maintain hantaviridae infections. Her research may help us better predict how hantaviridae they can be transmitted to humans. [6] [7]

Whilst she started her academic career in neuroscience, Klein became more interested in immune system function. [8] She is particularly interested in the differences between men and women's immune systems, and how they handle infectious diseases. [8] [9] Klein identified that the X chromosome was encoded with several genes that control the immune response. She believes that estrogen alters the response of immune cells, encouraging it to start making proteins and start or stop an inflammatory response. [8] Whilst this stronger immune response can clear viruses faster in women, it can also cause immunopathology. [10]

It is known that hormones impact the progression of influenza, and in 2009 Klein was commissioned by the World Health Organization to understand how sex, gender and pregnancy impact the outcomes of influenza infection. [11] In 2018 Klein was awarded $8 million from the National Institutes of Health to better understand how biological sex and age impact the efficacy of influenza vaccinations. [12] As part of this research, Klein created a mechanistic study into how genetic and hormonal factors impacted mouse immunity. [12] She demonstrated that biological sex impacted the efficacy of vaccinations, showing that female mice who received the 2009 flu pandemic vaccine produced more antibodies than male mice. [13] Her findings may indicate that men need a different dose or more frequent influenza vaccination boosts to women. [13] [14]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Klein became interested in the differences between how men and women responded to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2). [15] [16] It is well documented that men have worse COVID-19 outcomes to women. [17] Klein has indicated that this biological sex dependent disparity in outcomes is common to many viral infections that impact the respiratory tract. [18] Both she and Angela Rasmussen have argued that there are behavioural as well as biological reasons that men are so susceptible to COVID-19. [17] [19] In 2022, she was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. [20]

Selected publications

Personal life

Klein is married to Drew Maloney. [2] In 2010 the couple created the Klein-Maloney Fellowship for Women in the Sciences. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaccine</span> Pathogen-derived preparation that provides acquired immunity to an infectious disease

A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious or malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verified. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins, or one of its surface proteins. The agent stimulates the body's immune system to recognize the agent as a threat, destroy it, and recognize further and destroy any of the microorganisms associated with that agent that it may encounter in the future.

Sex differences in medicine include sex-specific diseases or conditions which occur only in people of one sex due to underlying biological factors ; sex-related diseases, which are diseases that are more common to one sex ; and diseases which occur at similar rates in males and females but manifest differently according to sex.

Immunodeficiency, also known as immunocompromisation, is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious diseases and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. Most cases are acquired ("secondary") due to extrinsic factors that affect the patient's immune system. Examples of these extrinsic factors include HIV infection and environmental factors, such as nutrition. Immunocompromisation may also be due to genetic diseases/flaws such as SCID.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Original antigenic sin</span> Immune phenomenon

Original antigenic sin, also known as antigenic imprinting, the Hoskins effect, immunological imprinting, or primary addiction is the propensity of the immune system to preferentially use immunological memory based on a previous infection when a second slightly different version of that foreign pathogen is encountered. This leaves the immune system "trapped" by the first response it has made to each antigen, and unable to mount potentially more effective responses during subsequent infections. Antibodies or T-cells induced during infections with the first variant of the pathogen are subject to repertoire freeze, a form of original antigenic sin.

Immunostimulants, also known as immunostimulators, are substances that stimulate the immune system usually in a non-specific manner by inducing activation or increasing activity of any of its components. One notable example is the granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. The goal of this stimulated immune response is usually to help the body have a stronger immune system response in order to improve outcomes in the case of an infection or cancer malignancy. There is also some evidence that immunostimulants may be useful to help decrease severe acute illness related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or acute infections in the lungs.

A breakthrough infection is a case of illness in which a vaccinated individual becomes infected with the illness, because the vaccine has failed to provide complete immunity against the pathogen. Breakthrough infections have been identified in individuals immunized against a variety of diseases including mumps, varicella (Chickenpox), influenza, and COVID-19. The characteristics of the breakthrough infection are dependent on the virus itself. Often, infection of the vaccinated individual results in milder symptoms and shorter duration than if the infection were contracted naturally.

'Man flu' is a colloquial term referring to the perception that men experience more severe symptoms when afflicted with the common cold or flu-like illnesses. Primarily British, it is frequently used in a self-deprecating manner. This term has sparked both public interest and scientific inquiry into potential sex differences in the experience of respiratory illnesses.

Immunization during pregnancy is the administration of a vaccine to a pregnant individual. This may be done either to protect the individual from disease or to induce an antibody response, such that the antibodies cross the placenta and provide passive immunity to the infant after birth. In many countries, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand, vaccination against influenza, COVID-19 and whooping cough is routinely offered during pregnancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autoimmune disease</span> Disorders of adaptive immune system

An autoimmune disease is a condition that results from an anomalous response of the adaptive immune system, wherein it mistakenly targets and attacks healthy, functioning parts of the body as if they were foreign organisms. It is estimated that there are more than 80 recognized autoimmune diseases, with recent scientific evidence suggesting the existence of potentially more than 100 distinct conditions. Nearly any body part can be involved.

A subunit vaccine is a vaccine that contains purified parts of the pathogen that are antigenic, or necessary to elicit a protective immune response. Subunit vaccine can be made from dissembled viral particles in cell culture or recombinant DNA expression, in which case it is a recombinant subunit vaccine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inactivated vaccine</span> Vaccine using a killed version of a disease pathogen

An inactivated vaccine is a vaccine consisting of virus particles, bacteria, or other pathogens that have been grown in culture and then killed to destroy disease-producing capacity. In contrast, live vaccines use pathogens that are still alive. Pathogens for inactivated vaccines are grown under controlled conditions and are killed as a means to reduce infectivity and thus prevent infection from the vaccine.

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Akiko Iwasaki is a Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University. She is also a principal investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her research interests include innate immunity, autophagy, inflammasomes, sexually transmitted infections, herpes simplex virus, human papillomavirus, respiratory virus infections, influenza infection, T cell immunity, commensal bacteria, COVID-19 and Long COVID.

Autoimmunity refers to a pathological immune response of the body's immune system against itself. Autoimmune disease is widely recognized to be significantly more common in women than in men, and often presents differently between the sexes. The reasons for these disparities are still under investigation, but may in part involve the presence of an additional X chromosome in women, as well as the higher presence of female sex hormones such as estrogen. The risk, incidence, and character of autoimmune disease in women may also be associated with female-specific physiological changes, such as hormonal shifts during menses, pregnancy, and menopause.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic</span> Aspect of viral outbreak

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staci Bilbo</span> American neuroimmunologist

Staci Bilbo is an American neuroimmunologist and The Haley Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University. Bilbo also holds a position as a research affiliate at Massachusetts General Hospital overseeing research within the Lurie Center for Autism. As the principal investigator of the Bilbo Lab, Bilbo investigates how environmental challenges during the perinatal period impact the immune system and further influence brain development, cognition, and affective behaviors later in life..

Eleanor N. Fish is a Canadian immunologist who is a Professor of Immunology at the University of Toronto. Her research considers how cytokines and chemokines interact with receptors in cells and tissue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fish tested interferon-alpha as a treatment for coronavirus disease.

A nasal vaccine is a vaccine administered through the nose that stimulates an immune response without an injection. It induces immunity through the inner surface of the nose, a surface that naturally comes in contact with many airborne microbes. Nasal vaccines are emerging as an alternative to injectable vaccines because they do not use needles and can be introduced through the mucosal route. Nasal vaccines can be delivered through nasal sprays to prevent respiratory infections, such as influenza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viral vector vaccine</span> Type of vaccine

A viral vector vaccine is a vaccine that uses a viral vector to deliver genetic material (DNA) that can be transcribed by the recipient's host cells as mRNA coding for a desired protein, or antigen, to elicit an immune response. As of April 2021, six viral vector vaccines, four COVID-19 vaccines and two Ebola vaccines, have been authorized for use in humans.

Endothelial cell tropism or endotheliotropism is a type of tissue tropism or host tropism that characterizes an pathogen's ability to recognize and infect an endothelial cell. Pathogens, such as viruses, can target a specific tissue type or multiple tissue types. Like other cells, the endothelial cell possesses several features that supports a productive viral infection a cell including, cell surface receptors, immune responses, and other virulence factors. Endothelial cells are found in various tissue types such as in the capillaries, veins, and arteries in the human body. As endothelial cells line these blood vessels and critical networks that extend access to various human organ systems, the virus entry into these cells can be detrimental to virus spread across the host system and affect clinical course of disease. Understanding the mechanisms of how viruses attach, enter, and control endothelial functions and host responses inform infectious disease understanding and medical countermeasures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniela M. Ferreira</span> Brazilian immunologist

Daniela M. Ferreira is a Brazilian British immunologist. She is a specialist in bacterial infection, respiratory co-infection, mucosal immunology and vaccine responses. She is currently Professor of Respiratory Infection and Vaccinology at the Oxford Vaccine Group in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Oxford and the Director of the Liverpool Vaccine Group at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. She leads a team of scientists studying protective immune responses against pneumococcus and other respiratory pathogens such as SARS-CoV2. Her team has established a novel method of inducing pneumococcal carriage in human volunteers. They use this model to:

References

  1. ↑ Scully, Eileen P.; Haverfield, Jenna; Ursin, Rebecca L.; Tannenbaum, Cara; Klein, Sabra L. (July 2020). "Considering how biological sex impacts immune responses and COVID-19 outcomes". Nature Reviews Immunology. 20 (7): 442–447. doi: 10.1038/s41577-020-0348-8 . ISSN   1474-1741. PMC   7288618 . PMID   32528136.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Randolph-Macon College Welcomes New Board of Trustees Members". Randolph-Macon College. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  3. ↑ Klein, Sabra Lynn (1994). The effects of prenatal stress on immune function in rats (Thesis). OCLC   31199229.
  4. ↑ Klein, Sabra L (1998). Behavioral, physiological and evolutionary factors mediating sex and species differences in immune function among rodents. OCLC   42972419.
  5. ↑ "Dr. Greg Glass". geog.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Parsons, Tim (3 October 2007). "Scientists Learn Why Rats Are Carriers of Hantavirus". Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  7. ↑ Easterbrook, J. D.; Zink, M. C.; Klein, S. L. (2007-09-18). "Regulatory T cells enhance persistence of the zoonotic pathogen Seoul virus in its reservoir host". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 104 (39): 15502–15507. Bibcode:2007PNAS..10415502E. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0707453104 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   2000529 . PMID   17878294.
  8. 1 2 3 "Infectious Disease Scientist Sabra Klein Studies How Viruses Impact Men and Women". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  9. ↑ Klein, Sabra L.; Roberts, Craig W., eds. (2015). Sex and Gender Differences in Infection and Treatments for Infectious Diseases. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-16438-0. ISBN   978-3-319-16437-3. S2CID   9859248.
  10. ↑ "Sabra L. Klein, PhD". cmm.jhmi.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  11. ↑ "Sabra Klein - Gender Summit". gender-summit.com. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  12. 1 2 Pearce, Katie (2018-11-06). "Researchers to study differences in how men, women respond to flu shots". The Hub. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  13. 1 2 Fink, Ashley L.; Engle, Kyrra; Ursin, Rebecca L.; Tang, Wan-Yee; Klein, Sabra L. (2018-12-04). "Biological sex affects vaccine efficacy and protection against influenza in mice". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 115 (49): 12477–12482. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1805268115 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   6298067 . PMID   30455317.
  14. ↑ Dhakal, Santosh; Klein, Sabra L. (2019-11-01). "Host Factors Impact Vaccine Efficacy: Implications for Seasonal and Universal Influenza Vaccine Programs". Journal of Virology. 93 (21). doi:10.1128/JVI.00797-19. ISSN   0022-538X. PMC   6803252 . PMID   31391269.
  15. ↑ "COVID-19 mortality twice as high for men in Italy as women". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  16. ↑ "COVID-19 Proving Deadlier for Men". Global Health NOW. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  17. 1 2 Mooney, Chris. "Men are getting sicker, dying more often of covid-19, Spain data shows". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  18. ↑ Lord, Debbie. "Coronavirus fact check: Are more men than women dying from COVID-19?". WFXT. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  19. ↑ Rabin, Roni Caryn (2020-03-20). "In Italy, Coronavirus Takes a Higher Toll on Men". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  20. ↑ "MMI Professor Sabra Klein Elected as AAAS Fellow". Johns Hopkins University. January 27, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
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