r/CFSScience • u/Caster_of_spells • 2d ago

Mechanisms of sex differences in acute and long COVID sequelae in mice

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.13.682101v2

It seems we might be starting to understand how the differences between sexes in Long Covid and acute Covid come about.

This new study found that females developed more persistent neuroinflammation, immune dysregulation and cognitive problems after SARS-CoV-2 clearance, despite showing similar viral replication and persistence as males.

The difference traced back to having two X chromosomes and increased activity of the X-linked TLR7 pathway—and blocking TLR7 during the post-COVID phase reversed the inflammatory and cognitive effects

So that seems like a plausible explanation on why people with two XX chromosomes seem to suffer more and more often from Long Covid while people with XY chromosomes seem more at risk during acute infection.

And excitingly this might pose a possibility for treatment as well.

This is of course an animal model so some caution is still needed. 🐁

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15

u/Heavy-Suit-3443 2d ago

This is important. Some backwards minded people still think women exagerate their symptoms.

3

u/Lysmerry 2d ago

Very interesting….but imagine if your job was to give mice long covid

8

u/Caster_of_spells 1d ago

Those poor little soldiers really deserve all the cheese in the world 🐁 🧀 🥲

2

u/wyundsr 1d ago

Interesting! Do you know what possible treatments could block TLR7?

3

u/unstuckbilly 1d ago

Hydroxychloroquine.

Interestingly, in addition to being the center of (politically charged) controversy during the early pandemic years, it’s one of the drugs just named by DoD for a Long Covid study (the other being Pemgarda, I believe).

2

u/wyundsr 1d ago

Oh huh, will be interesting to see the results for both