Extra X Chromosome-Linked Gene May Explain Decreased Viral Infection Severity in Females

It has long been known that viral infections can be more severe in males than females, but the question as to why has remained a mystery – until possibly now. The key may lie in an epigenetic regulator that boosts the activity of specialized anti-viral immune cells known as natural killer (NK) cells. In a study published March 16, 2023 in Nature Immunology, a collaborative team of UCLA researchers has found that female mouse and human NK cells have an extra copy of an X chromosome-linked gene called UTX. UTX acts as an epigenetic regulator to boost NK cell anti-viral function, while repressing NK cell numbers.

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