SHOX and sex difference in height: a hypothesis

Abstract

The mean height is taller in males than in females, except for early teens. In this regard, previous studies have revealed that (1) distribution of the mean adult heights in subjects with disorders accompanied by discordance between sex chromosome complement and bioactive sex steroids and in control subjects (the British height standards) indicates that, of the ~12.5 cm of sex difference in the mean adult height, ~9 cm is accounted for by the difference in the sex chromosome complement and the remaining ~3.5 cm is explained by the dimorphism in sex steroids (primarily due to the growth-promoting effect of gonadal androgens); (2) according to the infancy-childhood-puberty growth model, the sex difference in the childhood growth function produces height differences of ~1 cm in childhood and 8–10 cm at 18–20 years of age, whereas the sex difference in the pubertal growth function yields height difference of ~4.5 cm at 18–20 years of age; and (3) SHOX expression and methylation analyses using knee cartilage tissues and cultured chondrocytes have shown lower SHOX expression levels in female samples than in male samples and methylation patterns consistent with partial spreading of X-inactivation affecting SHOX in female samples. These findings suggest that small but persistent sex difference in SHOX expression dosage leads to the variation in the sex steroid independent childhood growth function, thereby yielding the sex difference in height which remains small in childhood but becomes obvious in adulthood.