Clues from mice could help explain why women face a higher risk of autoimmune disorders
A new study highlights the possible role of an RNA molecule in explaining why women are more likely to develop autoimmune disorders than men.
Researchers have long known that women are more likely to develop autoimmune disorders than men, though they’ve struggled to fully understand why. Now a new study in mice suggests a key part of the answer may be that an RNA molecule that’s indispensable for female survival steers the body toward immune friendly fire.
A team led by Stanford scientists found that Xist, a molecule that teams up with proteins to keep female cells from activating a double (and deadly) dose of X chromosome genes, can trigger antibodies that latch onto complexes of the RNA and its protein partners.
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