Study shows loss of Y in blood cells hinders immune response to cancer
A new paper published in Nature provides insights into why men with loss of Y have increased cancer risks and poorer outcomes.
A new study suggested that healthy T cells with Y chromosomes (illustrated in the foreground) may be better equipped to fight cancererous tumors than T cells without Y chromosomes (illustrated in the background).
Illustration by Joshua Elz, U of A Cancer Center
A study initiated by a University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center physician-scientist defined for the first time how loss of the Y chromosome in male immune cells negatively affects immune system function, which may explain why loss of Y is associated with lower cancer survival rates. The paper “Concurrent loss of the Y chromosome in cancer and T cells impacts outcome,” was published today in Nature.