The role of X-chromosome inactivation in female predisposition to autoimmunity. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • We propose that the phenomenon of X-chromosome inactivation in females may constitute a risk factor for loss of T-cell tolerance; specifically that skewed X-chromosome inactivation in the thymus may lead to inadequate thymic deletion. Using a DNA methylation assay, we have examined the X-chromosome inactivation patterns in peripheral blood from normal females (n = 30), female patients with a variety of autoimmune diseases (n = 167). No differences between patients and controls were observed. However, locally skewed X-chromosome inactivation may exist in the thymus, and therefore the underlying hypothesis remains to be disproved.

publication date

  • July 3, 2000

Research

keywords

  • Autoimmune Diseases
  • Dosage Compensation, Genetic
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC17816

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0034468292

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1186/ar118

PubMed ID

  • 11056674

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 2

issue

  • 5