Abstract
Autoimmune diseases altogether affect approximately 5% of the population in Western countries, with a higher prevalence in women. Exploring the biological differences between sexes, great attention was focused on hormones and, more recently, on fetal microchimerism, without reaching definitive evidence. Genetic factors are known to be crucial determinants of susceptibility, as shown by family and twin studies, although no specific genes predisposing women to autoimmunity have been identified thus far. In this article, we review recent data regarding X-chromosome abnormalities, such as inactivation patterns and X monosomy, that characterize some female-predominant autoimmune diseases. We believe that future high-throughput tools will help to identify specific clusters of genes on the sex chromosomes that are candidates for disease susceptibility or resistance.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 591-597 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Expert Review of Clinical Immunology |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2008 |
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Keywords
- Autoimmune disease
- Autoimmunity
- Epigenetic factor
- Genetic factor
- X chromosome
- X-chromosome inactivation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology
Cite this
X chromosome in autoimmune diseases. / Invernizzi, Pietro; Pasini, Simone; Podda, Mauro.
In: Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, Vol. 4, No. 5, 2008, p. 591-597.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - X chromosome in autoimmune diseases
AU - Invernizzi, Pietro
AU - Pasini, Simone
AU - Podda, Mauro
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Autoimmune diseases altogether affect approximately 5% of the population in Western countries, with a higher prevalence in women. Exploring the biological differences between sexes, great attention was focused on hormones and, more recently, on fetal microchimerism, without reaching definitive evidence. Genetic factors are known to be crucial determinants of susceptibility, as shown by family and twin studies, although no specific genes predisposing women to autoimmunity have been identified thus far. In this article, we review recent data regarding X-chromosome abnormalities, such as inactivation patterns and X monosomy, that characterize some female-predominant autoimmune diseases. We believe that future high-throughput tools will help to identify specific clusters of genes on the sex chromosomes that are candidates for disease susceptibility or resistance.
AB - Autoimmune diseases altogether affect approximately 5% of the population in Western countries, with a higher prevalence in women. Exploring the biological differences between sexes, great attention was focused on hormones and, more recently, on fetal microchimerism, without reaching definitive evidence. Genetic factors are known to be crucial determinants of susceptibility, as shown by family and twin studies, although no specific genes predisposing women to autoimmunity have been identified thus far. In this article, we review recent data regarding X-chromosome abnormalities, such as inactivation patterns and X monosomy, that characterize some female-predominant autoimmune diseases. We believe that future high-throughput tools will help to identify specific clusters of genes on the sex chromosomes that are candidates for disease susceptibility or resistance.
KW - Autoimmune disease
KW - Autoimmunity
KW - Epigenetic factor
KW - Genetic factor
KW - X chromosome
KW - X-chromosome inactivation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77649158514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77649158514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1586/1744666X.4.5.591
DO - 10.1586/1744666X.4.5.591
M3 - Article
C2 - 20476962
AN - SCOPUS:77649158514
VL - 4
SP - 591
EP - 597
JO - Expert Review of Clinical Immunology
JF - Expert Review of Clinical Immunology
SN - 1744-666X
IS - 5
ER -