Ki E. Park, E. Egelund, T. Huo, C. Merz, E. Handberg, B. Johnson, G. Sopko, R. Cooper-DeHoff, C. J. Pepine
{"title":"Serotonin Transporter Gene Polymorphism in Women With Suspected Ischemia","authors":"Ki E. Park, E. Egelund, T. Huo, C. Merz, E. Handberg, B. Johnson, G. Sopko, R. Cooper-DeHoff, C. J. Pepine","doi":"10.1177/2470289718787114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2470289718787114","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Association of serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms with adverse cardiovascular (CV) events in women with suspected ischemia has not yet been reported. We hypothesized an association of 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms with risk of adverse CV events in women with suspected ischemic heart disease (IHD) referred for coronary angiography enrolled in the Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE). Method: We studied clinical and angiographic data and DNA from a cohort of 437 Caucasian women enrolled in the WISE genotyped for the long (L) and short (S) variant of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism. Women were followed yearly for adverse CV events (defined as first occurrence of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure hospitalization) with data collected at WISE 10-year follow-up. Exploratory analyses compared outcomes between genotype groups. Results: A total of 437 women, with baseline, angiographic, and long-term follow-up data, were successfully genotyped. Their mean age was 58 ± 11 years and body mass index 29 ± 6; 54% had hypertension, 18% diabetes, 50% dyslipidemia, 20% depression history, and only 34% had obstructive CAD. At 8.9 years median follow-up, the SS genotype was associated with significantly increased risk of adverse CV event versus LL + LS (1.93, confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-3.61, P = .03). Results were not significant for all-cause death (hazard ratio: 1.63, CI: 0.91-2.93, P = .09). Conclusion: Among a cohort of Caucasian women with suspected IHD enrolled in the WISE, the SS homozygous genotype for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was associated with increased risk of adverse CV outcomes.","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"2 1","pages":"15 - 8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2470289718787114","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47347251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Inheritance of Chromosomes, Sex Determination, and the Human Genome","authors":"Nirmal K Shetty","doi":"10.1177/2470289718787131","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2470289718787131","url":null,"abstract":"Who is the determining factor for the sex of the offspring—mother, father, or both parents? This fundamental hypothesis proposes a new model of sex determination, challenging the existing dogma that the male Y chromosome of the father is the sole determinant of the sex of the offspring. According to modern science, the 3 X chromosomes (male XY and female XX) are assumed to be similar, and the sex of the offspring is determined after the zygote is formed. In contrast to this, the new hypothesis based on theoretical research proposes that the 3 X chromosomes can be differentiated, based on the presence of Barr bodies. The first X in female XX chromosomes and X in male XY chromosomes are similar as they lack Barr body and are hereby denoted as ‘X’ and referred to as ancestral chromosomes. The second X chromosome in the female cells which is a Barr body, denoted as X, is different. This X chromosome along with the Y chromosome are referred to as parental chromosomes. Sperm with a Y chromosome can only fuse with an ovum containing the ‘X’ chromosome. Similarly, sperm with the ‘X’ chromosome can only fuse with an ovum containing the X chromosome. Cell biology models of gametogenesis and fertilization were simulated with the new hypothesis model and assessed. Only chromosomes that participated in recombination could unite to form the zygote. This resulted in a paradigm shift in our understanding of sex determination, as both parents were found to be equally responsible for determining the sex of the offspring. The gender of the offspring is determined during the prezygotic stage itself and is dependent on natural selection. A new dimension has been given to inheritance of chromosomes. This new model also presents a new nomenclature for pedigree charts. This work of serendipity may contribute to future research in cell biology, gender studies, genome analysis, and genetic disorders including cancer.","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"2 1","pages":"16 - 26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2470289718787131","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47372424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eleanor L. Axson, K. Peterson, M. Téllez-Rojo, J. Goodrich, J. Meeker, Adriana Mercado-García, M. Solano, B. Needham
{"title":"Sex Differences in Telomere Length Are Not Mediated by Sex Steroid Hormones or Body Size in Early Adolescence","authors":"Eleanor L. Axson, K. Peterson, M. Téllez-Rojo, J. Goodrich, J. Meeker, Adriana Mercado-García, M. Solano, B. Needham","doi":"10.1177/2470289718795177","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2470289718795177","url":null,"abstract":"Telomere length is a biomarker of cell aging that is hypothesized to contribute to women’s greater longevity. Although most previous studies have found no sex difference in telomere length at birth, it is well established that females have longer average telomere length than males during adulthood. Proposed biological mechanisms underlying sex differences in adult telomere length include differences in sex steroid hormones and body size, which emerge during the pubertal transition. The purpose of this study was to examine the total effect of sex on telomere length during early adolescence and to examine estradiol, total testosterone, and body surface area (BSA; a measure of body size) as potential mediators of sex differences in telomere length. Data were from a population-based sample of 126 female and 109 male Hispanic adolescents aged 8 to 14 years from the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to ENvironmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) study. Relative telomere length (T/S ratio) was measured by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method; sex steroid hormones were measured using an automated chemiluminescent immunoassay, and BSA was calculated using measured height and weight. Adjusting for age and pubertal status, we found that girls had significantly longer telomeres than boys (β = .13; P < .01), but there were no significant indirect effects of sex on telomere length through any of the proposed mediators. We conclude that sex differences in telomere length are evident during early adolescence but are not explained by cross-sectional differences in sex steroid hormones or body size.","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"2 1","pages":"68 - 75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2470289718795177","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48174443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Decoding Sex Differences in the Brain, One Worm at a Time","authors":"Chen Wang","doi":"10.1177/2470289718789306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2470289718789306","url":null,"abstract":"Sex differences in the brain are prominent features across the animal kingdom. Understanding the anatomical and regulatory mechanisms behind these differences is critical for both explaining sexually dimorphic behaviors and developing sex-targeted treatments for neurological disorders. Clinical studies considering sex biases and basic research on animal models have provided much evidence for the existence of sex differences in the brain and, in a larger sense, sexual dimorphisms in the nervous system. However, due to the complexity of structure and dimorphic behaviors, it is yet unclear precisely how neuronal sexual dimorphisms are regulated on a molecular or cellular level. This commentary reviews available tools for investigating sexual dimorphisms using a simple model organism, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), which enables one to study gene regulation at single-cell resolution with a number of cutting-edge molecular and genetic technologies. I highlight the doublesex/mab-3 family of transcription factors, first discovered in invertebrates, and their roles in a potentially universal regulatory mechanism underlying neuronal sexual dimorphisms. Studies of these transcription factors using C. elegans, fruit flies, and vertebrates will promote our understanding of fundamental mechanisms behind sex differences in the brain.","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"2 1","pages":"76 - 80"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2470289718789306","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45075424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Flor Navarro, C. Herrnreiter, L. Nowak, S. Watkins
{"title":"Estrogen Regulation of T-Cell Function and Its Impact on the Tumor Microenvironment","authors":"Flor Navarro, C. Herrnreiter, L. Nowak, S. Watkins","doi":"10.1177/2470289718801379","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2470289718801379","url":null,"abstract":"Epidemiologic studies demonstrate significant gender-specific differences in immune system function. Males are more prone to infection and malignancies, while females are more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases. These differences are thought to be due to the action of gonadal hormones: Estrogen increases the inflammatory response and testosterone dampens it. More specifically, estrogen stimulation induces inflammatory cytokine production including interferon γ, interleukin (IL) 6, and tumor necrosis factor α, while testosterone induces IL-10, IL-4, and transforming growth factor β. More recent studies demonstrate threshold effects of estrogen stimulation on immune cell function: physiologic doses of estrogen (approximately 0.5 nmol/L) stimulate inflammatory cytokine production, but superphysiologic dosages (above 50 nmol/L) can result in decreased inflammatory cytokine production. This review reports findings concerning the impact of estrogen on CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and the overall immune response in the tumor microenvironment. Variables examined include dosage of hormone, the diversity of immune cells involved, and the nature of the immune response in cancer. Collective review of these points may assist in future hypotheses and studies to determine sex-specific differences in immune responses that may be used as targets in disease prevention and treatment.","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"2 1","pages":"81 - 91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2470289718801379","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42093881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Untangling the Gordian Knot of Human Sexuality","authors":"M. Legato","doi":"10.1177/2470289718803639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/2470289718803639","url":null,"abstract":"There is increasing interest in and tolerance of the lay public for variations in human sexuality. In contrast, the molecular biology that underlies gender identity, the development of gonadal and genital anatomy, and the factors that define sexual behavior is proving unexpectedly complex and is still incompletely understood. It is now evident that humans cannot be characterized as member of 1 of 2 clearly defined units: male or female. In fact, individuals exist on a continuum: those who do not conform unequivocally to the dyadic view of human sex in terms of anatomy, gender identity, and/or sexual behavior should be characterized as having variations in rather than disorders of sexual development. Such individuals can no longer be regarded as anomalies to be rejected, condemned, and, if possible, “corrected” either psychologically or anatomically.","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"2 1","pages":"62 - 67"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/2470289718803639","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43300585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gender and the GenomePub Date : 2018-01-01Epub Date: 2018-07-20DOI: 10.1177/2470289718787106
Agnieszka I Laskowski, Danielle A Fanslow, Erica D Smith, Steven T Kosak
{"title":"Clinical Epigenetic Therapies Disrupt Sex Chromosome Dosage Compensation in Human Female Cells.","authors":"Agnieszka I Laskowski, Danielle A Fanslow, Erica D Smith, Steven T Kosak","doi":"10.1177/2470289718787106","DOIUrl":"10.1177/2470289718787106","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sex chromosome gene dosage compensation is required to ensure equivalent levels of X-linked gene expression between males (46, XY) and females (46, XX). To achieve similar expression, X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is initiated in female cells during early stages of embryogenesis. Within each cell, either the maternal or paternal X chromosome is selected for whole chromosome transcriptional silencing, which is initiated and maintained by epigenetic and chromatin conformation mechanisms. With the emergence of small-molecule epigenetic inhibitors for the treatment of disease, such as cancer, the epigenetic mechanism underlying XCI may be inadvertently targeted. Here, we test 2 small-molecule epigenetic inhibitors being used clinically, GSK126 (a histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferase inhibitor) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (a histone deacetylase inhibitor), on their effects of the inactive X (Xi) in healthy human female fibroblasts. The combination of these modifiers, at subcancer therapeutic levels, leads to the inability to detect the repressive H3K27me3 modification characteristic of XCI in the majority of the cells. Importantly, genes positioned near the X-inactivation center (<i>Xic</i>), where inactivation is initiated, exhibit robust expression with treatment of the inhibitors, while genes located near the distal ends of the X chromosome intriguingly exhibit significant downregulation. These results demonstrate that small-molecule epigenetic inhibitors can have profound consequences on XCI in human cells, and they underscore the importance of considering gender when developing and clinically testing small-molecule epigenetic inhibitors, in particular those that target the well-characterized mechanisms of X inactivation.</p>","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"2 1","pages":"2-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6424500/pdf/nihms-985189.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37080929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques: Genetic Relatedness, Gender Implications, and Justice.","authors":"Tetsuya Ishii, César Palacios-González","doi":"10.1089/gg.2017.0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/gg.2017.0016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In 2015 the United Kingdom (UK) became the first nation to legalize egg and zygotic nuclear transfer procedures using mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs) to prevent the maternal transmission of serious mitochondrial DNA diseases to offspring. These techniques are a form of human germline genetic modification and can happen intentionally if female embryos are selected during the MRT clinical process, either through sperm selection or preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). In the same year, an MRT was performed by a United States (U.S.)-based physician team. This experiment involved a cross-border effort: the MRT procedure <i>per se</i> was carried out in the US, and the embryo transfer in Mexico. The authors examine the ethics of MRTs from the standpoint of genetic relatedness and gender implications, in places that lack adequate laws and regulation regarding assisted reproduction. Then, we briefly examine whether MRTs can be justified as a reproductive option in the US and Mexico, after reassessing their legalization in the UK. We contend that morally inadequate and ineffective regulations regarding egg donation, PGD, and germline genetic modifications jeopardize the ethical acceptability of the implementation of MRTs, suggesting that MRTs are currently difficult to justify in the US and Mexico. In addition to relevant regulation, the initiation and appropriate use of MRTs in a country require a child-centered follow-up policy and more evidence for its safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":" ","pages":"129-134"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1089/gg.2017.0016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38401376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mariela Mitre, Thorsten M Kranz, Bianca J Marlin, Jennifer K Schiavo, Hediye Erdjument-Bromage, Xinying Zhang, Jess Minder, Thomas A Neubert, Troy A Hackett, Moses V Chao, Robert C Froemke
{"title":"Sex-Specific Differences in Oxytocin Receptor Expression and Function for Parental Behavior.","authors":"Mariela Mitre, Thorsten M Kranz, Bianca J Marlin, Jennifer K Schiavo, Hediye Erdjument-Bromage, Xinying Zhang, Jess Minder, Thomas A Neubert, Troy A Hackett, Moses V Chao, Robert C Froemke","doi":"10.1089/gg.2017.0017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/gg.2017.0017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Parental care is among the most profound behavior expressed by humans and other animals. Despite intense interest in understanding the biological basis of parental behaviors, it remains unknown how much of parenting is encoded by the genome and which abilities instead are learned or can be refined by experience. One critical factor at the intersection between innate behaviors and experience-dependent learning is oxytocin, a neurohormone important for maternal physiology and neuroplasticity. Oxytocin acts throughout the body and brain to promote prosocial and maternal behaviors and modulates synaptic transmission to affect neural circuit dynamics. Recently we developed specific antibodies to mouse oxytocin receptors, found that oxytocin receptors are left lateralized in female auditory cortex, and examined how oxytocin enables maternal behavior by sensitizing the cortex to infant distress sounds. In this study we compare oxytocin receptor expression and function in male and female mice. Receptor expression is higher in adult female left auditory cortex than in right auditory cortex or males. Developmental profiles and mRNA expression were comparable between males and females. Behaviorally, male and female mice began expressing parental behavior similarly after cohousing with experienced females; however, oxytocin enhanced parental behavior onset in females but not males. This suggests that left lateralization of oxytocin receptor expression in females provides a mechanism for accelerating maternal behavior onset, although male mice can also effectively co-parent after experience with infants. The sex-specific pattern of oxytocin receptor expression might genetically predispose female cortex to respond to infant cues, which both males and females can also rapidly learn.</p>","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"1 4","pages":"142-166"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1089/gg.2017.0017","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10233602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tracy E. Madsen, G. Bourjeily, M. Hasnain, M. Jenkins, M. Morrison, Kathryn Sandberg, Iris L. Tong, Justina A. Trott, J. Werbinski, Alyson J. McGregor
{"title":"Article Commentary: Sex- and Gender-Based Medicine: The Need for Precise Terminology","authors":"Tracy E. Madsen, G. Bourjeily, M. Hasnain, M. Jenkins, M. Morrison, Kathryn Sandberg, Iris L. Tong, Justina A. Trott, J. Werbinski, Alyson J. McGregor","doi":"10.1089/gg.2017.0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/gg.2017.0005","url":null,"abstract":"As our knowledge of sexand gender-based medicine (SGBM) continues to grow, attention to precision in the use of related terminology is critical. Unfortunately, the terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably and incorrectly, both within and outside of the typical binary construct. On behalf of the Sex and Gender Women’s Health Collaborative (SGWHC), a national organization whose mission is the integration of SGBM into research, health professions education, and clinical practice, our objective was to develop recommendations for the accurate use of SGBM terminology in research and clinical practice across medical specialties and across health professions. In addition, we reviewed the origins and evolution of SGBM terminology and described terms used when referring to individuals outside the typical binary categorization of sex and gender. Standardization and precision in the use of sex and gender terminology will lead to a greater understanding and appropriate translation of sex and gender evidence to patient care along with an accurate assessment of the impact sex and gender have on patient outcomes. In addition, it is critical to acknowledge that SGBM terminology will continue to evolve and become more precise as our knowledge of sex and gender differences in health and disease progresses.","PeriodicalId":32801,"journal":{"name":"Gender and the Genome","volume":"1 1","pages":"122 - 128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1089/gg.2017.0005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"61127035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}