Many men lose their Y chromosomes as they age. It may shorten their lives.

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## Loss of the Y chromosome linked to increased‍ risk ⁤of cancer and Alzheimer’s

Men frequently loose their Y chromosome as they age, a phenomenon observed in a​ meaningful proportion of men over the age of 60. For a long time, this was thought to have little effect.However, recent research suggests that this loss is linked‌ to an increased risk of ⁢several age-related ‍diseases, including heart failure‍ and cancer.

The Y chromosome is relatively small and carries fewer genes than the X chromosome, so both males​ and females have two copies of the X chromosome. It was initially hypothesized that the absence of a second Y ⁤copy ⁤in cells that have lost it might cause some kind‌ of dysregulation.

And also these protein-coding genes, the Y chromosome contains many non-coding genes. These are⁢ transcribed⁣ into RNA molecules, but are ‍not translated into proteins. Research suggests that some of these ⁤non-coding genes control ⁤the function of other genes.

This may explain why the Y chromosome can affect ‍the activity of genes on many other chromosomes. Loss of the Y chromosome affects expression of some genes in cells that make blood cells, and also others that regulate immune function. It may also indirectly affect differentiation of blood cell types ​and heart function. Recent studies have also linked Y chromosome loss to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

the ⁣ human Y chromosome was fully sequenced in 2022 – so in time we may⁤ track down how particular genes cause these negative health effects.

This edited article is republished from

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