Why do men have a shorter life expectancy than women? Scientists may have found the answer | Science & Technology News
Scientists have discovered new clues that could explain why men often don’t live as long as women.
Research suggests this is linked to the loss of the Y chromosome, which can cause the heart muscle to scar and possibly lead to deadly heart failure.
An estimated 40% of 70-year-olds have this male sex chromosome loss, but they could benefit from an existing drug that targets dangerous tissue scarring.
Chromosomes are bundles of DNA in each cell, they come in pairs. Women have two X chromosomes while men have one X and Y chromosome.
Professor Kenneth Walsh, from the University of Virginia, said: “Especially at the age of 60, men die faster than women. It’s as if they are biologically aging faster.”
He added: “This new study provides clues as to why men have a shorter life expectancy than women.”
University of Virginia (UVA) researcher Kenneth Walsh says pirfenidone may help counteract the harmful effects of chromosome loss.
Many men start to lose the Y chromosome in a small portion of their cells as they age – which is especially true for smokers.
Scientists have previously found that men with a missing Y chromosome are more likely to die at a younger age and develop age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The new study is believed to be the first real evidence that chromosome loss directly causes harmful effects on men’s health.
The researchers used gene-editing technology to develop a special mouse model to better understand the effects of the loss of the Y chromosome in the blood.
They found that this loss accelerated age-related diseases and made the mice more susceptible to heart scarring and earlier death.
The researchers also looked at the impact of Y chromosome loss in men, conducting three analyzes of data compiled from the UK Biobank study. They found that loss of the Y chromosome is associated with cardiovascular disease and heart failure.
The researchers found that as chromosome loss increased, so did the risk of death.
They say their findings suggest that targeting the effects of Y chromosome loss could help men live longer, healthier lives.
The findings were published in the journal Science.
