[Reading Science] Men Vulnerable to Colorectal Cancer... The Secret of the Y Chromosome

Besides Lifestyle Habits, Y Chromosome Also Greatly Influences Non-Reproductive Organ Cancers

A study has revealed that, in addition to lifestyle habits, the Y chromosome significantly contributes to men's particular vulnerability to colorectal and bladder cancers compared to women.

Chromosome. Reference image

The international academic journal Nature published two research papers on this topic on the 21st (local time). It has long been known that men are more prone to cancers of non-reproductive organs such as colorectal and bladder cancer due to dietary and lifestyle factors like smoking and drinking. However, even after accounting for these lifestyle habits, the severity and incidence rates remain significantly higher in men than in women, prompting further investigation into the reasons. The Y chromosome, primarily found in males, is also known to sometimes disappear during cell division. As men age, the proportion of blood cells lacking the Y chromosome increases, and the higher the number of such cells, the greater the risk of diseases including heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and certain cancers.

First, it was found that the Y chromosome plays a protective role against bladder cancer. A research team at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, conducted experiments using bladder cancer cells that naturally lost the Y chromosome or were artificially removed using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. They injected bladder cancer cells with and without the Y chromosome into mice and observed the outcomes. The results showed that bladder cancer cells lacking the Y chromosome were significantly more aggressive.

They also confirmed that immune cells surrounding tumors without the Y chromosome tended to malfunction. The research team administered antibody therapies designed to reactivate these immune cells. This treatment was more effective against tumors lacking the Y chromosome than those possessing it. Similar experiments conducted on human tumor cells yielded comparable results.

Jan Dumanski, a genetics professor at Uppsala University in Sweden who was not involved in the study, commented, "These findings are highly significant. They open the door to better approaches for cancer treatment."

On the other hand, the Y chromosome played a harmful role in colorectal cancer. It was confirmed to influence colorectal cancer metastasis. A research team at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, discovered that the KDM5D gene located on the Y chromosome loosens the adhesion between colorectal cancer tumor cells, facilitating their spread to other organs in the body. When this gene was removed, tumor cells became less invasive and were more likely to be recognized by immune cells.