Preferential X Chromosome Inactivation as a Mechanism to Explain Female Preponderance in Myasthenia Gravis. 2022

Vanessa Nicolì, and Silvia Maria Tabano, and Patrizia Colapietro, and Michelangelo Maestri, and Roberta Ricciardi, and Andrea Stoccoro, and Laura Fontana, and Melania Guida, and Monica Miozzo, and Fabio Coppedè, and Lucia Migliore
Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease characterized by prevalence in young women (3:1). Several mechanisms proposed as explanations for gender bias, including skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) and dosage or sex hormones, are often involved in the development of autoimmunity. The skewed XCI pattern can lead to an unbalanced expression of some X-linked genes, as observed in several autoimmune disorders characterized by female predominance. No data are yet available regarding XCI and MG. We hypothesize that the preferential XCI pattern may contribute to the female bias observed in the onset of MG, especially among younger women. XCI analysis was performed on blood samples of 284 women between the ages of 20 and 82. XCI was tested using the Human Androgen Receptor Assay (HUMARA). XCI patterns were classified as random (XCI < 75%) and preferential (XCI ≥ 75%). In 121 informative patients, the frequency of skewed XCI patterns was 47%, significantly higher than in healthy controls (17%; p ≤ 0.00001). Interestingly, the phenomenon was observed mainly in younger patients (<45 years; p ≤ 0.00001). Furthermore, considering the XCI pattern and the other clinical characteristics of patients, no significant differences were found. In conclusion, we observed preferential XCI in MG female patients, suggesting its potential role in the aetiology of MG, as observed in other autoimmune diseases in women.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009157 Myasthenia Gravis A disorder of neuromuscular transmission characterized by fatigable weakness of cranial and skeletal muscles with elevated titers of ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS or muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) autoantibodies. Clinical manifestations may include ocular muscle weakness (fluctuating, asymmetric, external ophthalmoplegia; diplopia; ptosis; and weakness of eye closure) and extraocular fatigable weakness of facial, bulbar, respiratory, and proximal limb muscles. The disease may remain limited to the ocular muscles (ocular myasthenia). THYMOMA is commonly associated with this condition. Anti-MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,MuSK MG,MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Generalized,Myasthenia Gravis, Ocular,Anti MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Generalized Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Anti-MuSK,Myasthenia Gravis, MuSK,Ocular Myasthenia Gravis
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D049951 X Chromosome Inactivation A dosage compensation process occurring at an early embryonic stage in mammalian development whereby, at random, one X CHROMOSOME of the pair is repressed in the somatic cells of females. X Inactivation,Lyon Hypothesis,Lyonization,X-Inactivation,Chromosome Inactivation, X,Hypothesis, Lyon,Inactivation, X,Inactivation, X Chromosome,X Inactivations
D050172 Genes, X-Linked Genes that are located on the X CHROMOSOME. X-Chromosome Genes,X-Linked Genes,X-Linked Traits,Alleles, X-Linked,Genes, X-Chromosome,Inheritance, X-Linked,Traits, X-Linked,X-Linked Inheritance,Allele, X-Linked,Alleles, X Linked,Gene, X-Chromosome,Gene, X-Linked,Genes, X Chromosome,Genes, X Linked,Inheritance, X Linked,Trait, X-Linked,Traits, X Linked,X Chromosome Genes,X Linked Genes,X Linked Inheritance,X Linked Traits,X-Chromosome Gene,X-Linked Allele,X-Linked Alleles,X-Linked Gene,X-Linked Trait

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