A new study conducted by Spanish scientific organizations has identified a protein with a significant impact on cellular response to stress and aging as a key element for deepening the understanding of health and aging differences between men and women.
The research, led by the Josep Carreras Institute in Barcelona and Mass General Brigham in Boston, United States, and published in the journal Nature, identified the protein SIRT7 as an essential protector of genome stability and the X chromosome, particularly in women, who possess two X chromosomes, whereas men possess only one.
According to a joint statement from the Spanish Ministry of Science, the State Research Agency, the Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence, and the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, the study of sex chromosomes represents one of the most promising areas of research in this field.
Alejandro Vaquero, group leader at the Josep Carreras Institute, explained that unlike previous studies, this work expanded knowledge on how alterations in this protein “can affect the regulation of the immune system and contribute to the development of hematological cancers.”
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Vaquero argued that the absence of SIRT7 disrupts genomic regulation, damages DNA, and carries more severe consequences for women than for men, which could help explain biological differences between sexes and advance research into blood-related cancers. In female cells, one of the two X chromosomes normally remains inactive to maintain a proper balance in gene expression.
However, researchers observed that in the absence of SIRT7, this mechanism is disrupted, causing the inactive X chromosome to remain hyper-inactive, while the active X chromosome abnormally spikes in activity, rendering it highly vulnerable to DNA damage and genetic instability.
The study also found that in animal test subjects, females were the most severely affected by the absence of SIRT7, displaying higher levels of DNA damage, worse overall health, and a shorter life expectancy compared to males. These findings are particularly relevant to immune function, as proper regulation of the X chromosome is essential for maintaining the balance of the immune system.
Alterations in this chromosome’s activity can also influence the development and function of blood and immune cells, potentially driving immune deregulation and explaining why certain diseases affect men and women differently. The researchers concluded that SIRT7 plays a fundamental role in controlling blood and immune cell functions, preventing their malignant transformation, and shielding them against genetic alterations that can spark hematological cancers.
