XYC.

An interesting study suggests that extreme down-regulation of the Y chromosome (EDY) could be a reason for differential rates of cancer in men compared to women. EDY, as the name implies, is when overall gene expression from the Y chromosome is substantially reduced compared to autosomal (non-sex) chromosomes. Suppression of male-specific genes (such as several involved in cell cycle regulation) could result in the observed association between EDY and increased cancer risk in this study. The findings also lend support to the escape from X-inactivation tumor suppressor hypothesis (EXITS). Somewhat opposite EDY, some female genes duplicated on the 2nd X chromosome may escape X inactivation and confer cancer protection relative to males. | Caceres, J Natl Cancer Inst 2020