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Sex chromosome aneuploidy and aging
1Southwest Biomedical Research Institute and Genetrix, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA.
Mutation Research
|October 1, 1995
Summary
Sex chromosome loss, including X in females and Y in males, is linked to aging. Measuring this aneuploidy may serve as a novel biomarker for cellular senescence.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Cell Biology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Sex chromosome loss, specifically X in females and Y in males, is observed as a natural phenomenon during aging.
- X chromosome loss primarily affects peripheral lymphocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), while Y chromosome loss is most prominent in bone marrow cells.
- The precise mechanisms underlying Y chromosome loss remain unclear, and pathological consequences of either sex chromosome loss are not definitively established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between sex chromosome loss and the aging process.
- To explore the potential of measuring sex chromosome aneuploidy as a biomarker for cellular senescence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of X chromosome loss in PHA-stimulated peripheral lymphocytes in females.
- Assessment of Y chromosome loss in bone marrow cells and PHA-stimulated peripheral lymphocytes in males.
- Utilizing Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) technology to measure sex chromosome aneuploidy.
Main Results:
- X chromosome loss is linked to premature centromere division, resulting in anaphase lag and micronuclei formation.
- While Y chromosome loss is most apparent in bone marrow, it also occurs in peripheral lymphocytes.
- No significant pathological outcomes have been conclusively linked to X or Y chromosome loss.
Conclusions:
- Sex chromosome loss is a validated phenomenon associated with aging in both sexes.
- Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) offers a promising method for quantifying sex chromosome aneuploidy.
- Measuring sex chromosome aneuploidy could serve as a practical assay for assessing cellular senescence and aging.
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02:32X and Y Chromosomes
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Evolution
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