Breakthrough study reveals gender differences linked to gene protection protein SIRT7, EHealthworld
New Delhi: Research suggests that a protein responsible for protecting genes and monitoring gene activity could play a role in why male and female bodies respond differently to disease or aging.
Researchers from the US-based Mass General Brigham Integrated Healthcare System and the Josep Carreras Leukemia Institute in Spain said the biological reasons for differences based on sex in how the disease develops or how the body progresses are not fully understood.
Scientists are studying sex chromosomes to better understand what may lead to these differences.
The findings published in the journal Nature show that SIRT7, a protein involved in how cells respond to stress and aging, plays a crucial role in maintaining the body’s health. X chromosomeOne of two sex chromosomes that determine an individual’s biological sex.
Females usually carry two X chromosomes (XX) while males carry one X and one Y chromosome (XY).
In female cells, one of the X chromosomes is usually “turned off” to keep gene activity balanced.
The researchers conducted experiments on mice and found that when SIRT7 is lost, the balance breaks down – the inactive X chromosome becomes overly silent and the active X chromosome becomes overly active.
Hyperactivity disrupts normal gene regulation and makes the active X chromosome vulnerable to DNA damage and genome instability, they said.
The effects were found to be stronger among females, with female animal models lacking SIRT7 showing more DNA damage, worse health, and shorter lifespans compared to males.
“Overexpression (of the active X chromosome) leads to genome dysfunction and upregulation of the X chromosome,” the researchers wrote.
They said that SIRT7 could protect the integrity of the X chromosome, maintain the stability of the active X chromosome and balance its gene activity.
The team said the research provides new insight into why aging, disease risks and biological responses differ between the sexes.
By revealing how the X chromosome is organized, the study may help identify future approaches to treating conditions that affect females and males differently, they said.
“We propose that sex bias in SIRT7 biology can be partly explained by unequal effects on sex chromosomes,” the authors wrote.
