Search Results (105)

Autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s syndrome show pronounced sex disparities in prevalence, severity, and clinical outcomes, with females disproportionately affected. Emerging evidence highlights sex-based differences in immune and inflammatory responses as key contributors to this bias. Genetic factors—including sex chromosomes, skewed X chromosome inactivation, and sex-biased microRNAs—as well as sex hormones and pregnancy modulate gene expression and immune cell function in a sex-specific manner. Additionally, sex hormone-dependent epigenetic modifications influence the transcription of critical immune regulators. These genetic and hormonal factors collectively shape the activation, differentiation, and effector functions of diverse immune cell types. Environmental factors—including infections, gut microbiota, environmental chemicals and pollutants, and lifestyle behaviors such as diet, smoking, UV exposure, alcohol and caffeine intake, physical activity, and circadian rhythms—further modulate immune function and autoimmune disease pathogenesis in a sex-dependent manner. Together, these mechanisms contribute to the heightened risk and distinct clinical features of autoimmunity in females. A deeper understanding of sex-biased immune regulation will facilitate the identification of novel biomarkers, enable patient stratification, and inform the development of sex-specific diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for autoimmune diseases. Full article

The anti-Müllerian hormone (amh) and its receptor, amhr2, along with the downstream bone morphogenetic protein receptors (bmprs), have been recognized as the central regulators in teleost sex determination (SD) and differentiation. However, their evolution and function in reproduction among diverse teleost lineages may represent species-specific patterns and still need more explanation. In this study, systematic investigations of amh signaling genes, including amh, amhy (Y-linked paralog of amh), amhr2, bmpr1, and bmpr2, were conducted among teleost species. The results revealed generally conserved gene copy number, phylogeny, structure, and synteny, among teleost amh signaling genes. Notably, significantly accelerated evolutionary rates (dN/dS) were found in teleost amhy compared to amh, and amh exhibited faster molecular evolution in amhy-SD teleosts than in non-amhy-SD teleosts, suggesting their enhanced evolutionary plasticity in teleosts. Expression profiling identified testis-biased expression of the most amh signaling genes in fish species with different SD genes and mechanisms, including Lateolabrax maculatus and Dicentrarchus labrax from Order Perciformes, Cynoglossus semilaevis and Paralichthys olivaceus from Order Pleuronectiformes, and Salmo salar and Oncorhynchus mykiss from Order Salmoniformes, with ovary-biased expression also found in Salmoniformes. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis further uncovered strong species-specific functional interactions between amh signaling components and genes of germ-cell development, the meiotic process, etc. Collectively, the integrated evidence from this study supports the hypothesis that amh signaling provides the key molecules governing sex differentiation in a species-specific manner in diverse teleost lineages, independent of its SD role, and interacts with functions of both testis and ovary development. Full article

Chemosensory systems play a pivotal role in insect survival and reproduction by mediating the detection of volatile organic compounds in the environment. Protaetia brevitarsis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), a phytophagous pest widely distributed across East Asia, poses a significant threat to agro-horticultural systems through crop damage. We conducted antennal transcriptome sequencing of adult beetles and identified 117 chemosensory-related genes, including 66 odorant receptors (ORs), 20 ionotropic receptors, 10 gustatory receptors, 13 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), four chemosensory proteins, and four sensory neuron membrane proteins. Tissue-specific expression profiling revealed the antennal enrichment of five PbreOBP genes and twenty-three ORs. Notably, sexual dimorphism was observed in OR expression patterns. PbreOR1/6/17/18/21/22/30/32 exhibited male-biased antennal expression, whereas PbreOR25/26/29/38/41/44/61 demonstrated female-biased antennal expression, indicating their potential involvement in sex-specific behaviors, such as pheromone detection and oviposition site selection. A comprehensive description of the antenna chemosensory-related genes of P. brevitarsis has deepened our understanding of the olfactory mechanisms in coleopteran insects. This study also provides a basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying olfaction in P. brevitarsis. Full article

RNA silencing regulates diverse cellular processes in plants. Argonaute (AGO), Dicer-like (DCL), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDR) proteins are core components of RNA interference (RNAi). Despite their functional significance, the systematic identification and characterization of these families have remained largely unexplored in Siraitia grosvenorii. Using HMMER and Pfam analyses, we identified six SgAGO, four SgDCL, and six SgRDR genes. Phylogenetic analysis classified SgAGOs, SgDCLs, and SgRDRs into five, four, and four clades, respectively, all of which clustered closely with homologs from other Cucurbitaceae species, demonstrating lineage-specific evolutionary conservation. Promoter cis-element analysis revealed the significant enrichment of hormonal (methyl jasmonate, abscisic acid) and stress-responsive (light, hypoxia) elements, indicating their roles in environmental adaptation. Tissue-specific expression profiling showed that most SgAGO, SgDCL, and SgRDR genes were highly expressed in flowers and mid-stage fruits (35 days after pollination), while SgAGO10.1 exhibited stem-specific expression. By contrast, SgRDR1.2 displayed no tissue specificity. Notably, sex-biased expression patterns in dioecious flowers suggested the RNAi-mediated regulation of gametophyte development and their potential roles in reproductive and secondary metabolic processes. This study lays the foundation for further exploration of RNAi machinery’s role in coordinating mogroside biosynthesis and stress resilience in S. grosvenorii while providing potential targets for genetic improvement. Full article

Euplatypus parallelus is a polyphagous pest capable of harming multiple plant species. Adult beetles invade tree trunks by boring holes, which negatively impacts the trees’ growth and may result in tree death. E. parallelus depends on plant volatiles to identify and locate appropriate hosts for feeding or reproduction, with its olfactory system playing a vital role in volatile detection. In this work, we applied transcriptomics, phylogenetic analysis, and expression analysis to investigate four chemosensory membrane protein gene families that play a role in olfaction in E. parallelus. Based on the annotation analysis, 41 odorant receptors (ORs), 12 gustatory receptors (GRs), 14 ionotropic receptors (IRs), and 4 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) were identified in the head. We used differential gene expression (DGE) and fragments per kilobase per million (FPKM) values to compare the transcription levels of chemosensory membrane protein gene families between males and females. The data indicate that the chemosensory membrane protein gene families in E. parallelus exhibit different expression levels in male and female heads, with some genes showing significant differences and displaying sex-biased expression. These results offer a basis for future exploration of the functions of chemosensory membrane protein gene families in E. parallelus and offer a theoretical framework for designing innovative eco-friendly control technologies. Full article

Recent studies have revealed marked sex differences in pathophysiological roles of spinal microglia in neuropathic pain, with microglia contributing to pain exacerbation exclusively in males. However, the characteristics of pain-enhancing microglia, which are more prominent in males, remain poorly understood. Here, we reanalyzed a previously published single-cell RNA sequencing dataset and identified a microglial subpopulation that significantly increases in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) of male mice following peripheral nerve injury. CC-chemokine ligand 4 (CCL4) was highly expressed in this subpopulation and its mRNA levels were increased in the SDH after partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL) only in male mice. Notably, CCL4 expression was reduced in male mice following microglial depletion, indicating that microglia are the primary source of CCL4. Intrathecal administration of maraviroc, an inhibitor of the CCL4–CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) signaling pathway, after PSL, significantly suppressed mechanical allodynia only in male mice. Furthermore, intrathecal administration of CCL4 induced mechanical allodynia in both sexes, accompanied by increased expression of c-fos, a neuronal excitation marker, in the SDH. These findings highlight a sex-biased difference in the gene expression profile of spinal microglia following peripheral nerve injury, with elevated CCL4 expression in male mice potentially contributing to pain exacerbation. Full article

The zig-zag eel (Mastacembelus armatus) is a unique economic fish species in China and exhibits significant dimorphism of male and female phenotypes. Cultivating all-male seedlings can significantly improve production efficiency. To investigate sex differentiation and gonadal development in M. armatus, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the transcriptomes of male and female gonads at different developmental stages, both before and after sex differentiation. We identified key genes involved in sex differentiation, male-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including dmrt1, amh, sox9, gsdf, and dmrt2b, and female-biased DEGs, including foxl2, rspo1, gdf9, bmp15, and wnt4. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that signaling pathways such as MAPK, Wnt, and TGF-β play significant roles in sex differentiation in M. armatus. The expression levels of 13 sex-related genes, including dmrt1, sox9, amh, foxl2, rspo1, and wnt4, were determined by RT–qPCR in addition to RNA sequencing. RT-qPCR validation results were consistent with the transcriptomic data, confirming the reliability of our findings. This research provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of sex differentiation in M. armatus and lays a foundation for developing all-male populations in aquaculture. Full article

Background: 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) is the most ubiquitous ecdysteroid (Ecd) and plays critical roles during the life cycle of arthropods. To elucidate the metabolism pathway of 20E in the economically important species, Scylla paramamosain, we conducted a comprehensive exploration of the genes involved in the 20E metabolism pathway. Methods: A comprehensive exploration of genes involved in the 20E metabolism pathway was conducted, including gene annotation, local blast using the Drosophila ortholog as query, and TreeFam ortholog genes identification. Bioinformatics and expression profiling of the identified genes were performed to assess their roles in the 20E metabolism of green mud crabs. Results: This experiment indicated that, except for CYP306a1 and CYP314a1, all other ortholog genes involved in the Drosophila 20E metabolism can be found in the mud crab, suggesting that the function of these two genes might be replaced by other CYP genes or the “active” Ecd in mud crabs was not the 20E. All genes had the typical features of each gene family, clustered with the specific clade in the phylogenetic trees. In addition, all the identified genes had the highest expression level in the Y-organ, and sex-biased gene expression was observed in these genes. Conclusions: This study provided some valuable insights into the metabolism and diversity of ecdysteroids in crustaceans. Full article

The cleavage stage plays a crucial role in embryo development, characterized by a swift surge in cell proliferation alongside the accurate genetic material transmission to offspring. To delve into the characteristics of sex development during the cleavage stage of embryos, we generated the full-length transcriptome of Eriocheir sinensis male and female cleavage-stage embryos using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT). Notably, this investigation represents the first sequencing effort distinguishing between genders in E. sinensis embryos. In the transcriptome structure analysis, male and female cleavage-stage embryos, while not clustered, exhibited a comparable frequency of alternative splicing (AS) occurrences. We also successfully identified 2875 transcription factors (TFs). The quantitative analysis showed the top 150 genes, in which the highly expressed genes in male embryos predominantly related to protein synthesis and metabolism. Further investigation unveiled 500 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 7 male-biased ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) were particularly noteworthy and further confirmed. These analyses suggest that there may be a more active protein synthesis process in male E. sinensis cleavage-stage embryos. Furthermore, among the 2875 identified TFs, we predicted that 18 TFs could regulate the differentially expressed RPGs, with most TFs belonging to the zf-C2H2 and Homeobox families, which are crucial for embryonic development. During the cleavage stage of E. sinensis, the differential RPGs between genders were intricately linked to energy metabolism. We proposed that these RPGs exert regulatory effects on gene expression in E. sinensis, thereby regulating the difference of development between male and females. Our research sheds light on the developmental mechanisms of E. sinensis during the embryo stage and establishes a groundwork for a deeper understanding of sex development in E. sinensis. The results also provide comprehensive full-length transcriptome data for future gene expression and genetic studies in E. sinensis. Full article

Insects rely on olfaction for mating, finding oviposition sites, and locating hosts. Hyphantria cunea is a serious pest that severely damages forests. Differential expression analysis of olfactory-related genes between males and females is the basis for elucidating the functions of olfactory-related proteins in H. cunea. In this study, Illumina HiSeqTM 4000 high-throughput sequencing technology was used to perform transcriptome sequencing of the antennal tissues of adult male and female H. cunea. Functional annotation was conducted using the NR, Swiss-Prot, KOG, KEGG, and GO databases, and the results showed that the antennal transcriptome of adult H. cunea contained 50,158 unigenes. Differential expression analysis identified 3923 genes that were significantly differentially expressed between male and female antennae. A total of 221 olfactory-related genes were annotated, and 96 sex-biased genes were identified, including 13 odorant receptors (ORs), 48 odorant binding proteins (OBPs), 7 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), 10 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 10 sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), 2 gustatory receptors (GRs), and 6 odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs), indicating that there were differences in olfaction between male and female H. cunea. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to verify the expression levels of 21 putative general odorant receptor genes in male and female antennae. HcunOR4 and HcunOR5 showed female-biased expression; HcunOR48, HcunOR49 and HcunOR50 showed male-biased expression. The results were consistent with the transcriptome differential analysis. The screening of male-biased odorant receptor genes might provide a theoretical basis for the functional characterization of odorant receptors for recognizing sex pheromones in H. cunea. Full article

There are few studies on the representation of older people regarding aids and assistive devices and even fewer that incorporate more inclusive views (gender, emotions, anti-ageist, territorial or land approach) as well as virtual or land ethnography or artificial intelligence. The general objective was to evaluate digital images of aids and assistive aids in the older population, from the perspectives mentioned above. Method. A descriptive and cross-sectional study that searched, observed and analyzed images. An evaluation of intentionally selected images from Freepik, Pixabay, Storyblocks, Splitshire, Gratisography and ArtGPT, included in an original database constructured by several authors of this article, was carried out in the context of the ENCAGEn-CM project (2020–2023, financed by the CAM and FSE). This base was updated and expanded in October and November 2023. In addition, an image generation process was carried out using artificial intelligence, and this was also part of the analysis (ArtGPT). Finally, algorithms were used to solve and retrain with the images. Results. Of the total final images included in the expanded database until November 2023 (n = 427), only a third (28.3%, 121/427) included the aids and assistive aids label. Representations of mixed groups predominated (38.8%) and, to a lesser extent, those of women. A large proportion of the devices were ‘glasses’ (74.6%) and the ‘use of a cane’ (14.9%). To a lesser extent, ‘wheelchairs’ (4.4%) or ‘hearing aids’ (0.9%) and the presence of more than one device (simultaneously) (5.3%) were noted. The main emotions represented were ‘joy’ (45.6%) and ‘emotion not recognized’ (45.6%), with, to a lesser extent, ‘sadness’ (3.5%), ‘surprise’ (4.4%) and ‘anger’ (0.9%). Differences by sex were found in the represented emotions linked to aids and assistive aids. The representation of images of the built environment predominated significantly (70.2%), and it was observed that older women were less represented in natural environments than men. Based on the previous findings, a method is proposed to address stereotypes in images of older individuals. It involves identifying common stereotypical features, like glasses and hospital settings, using deep learning and quantum computing techniques. A convolutional neural network identifies and suppresses these elements, followed by the use of quantum algorithms to manipulate features. This systematic approach aims to mitigate biases and enhance the accuracy in representing older people in digital imagery. Conclusion. A limited proportion of images of assistive devices and older people were observed. Furthermore, among them, the lower representation of images of women in a built environment was confirmed, and the expressions of emotions were limited to only three basic ones (joy, sadness and surprise). In these evaluated digital images, the collective imagination of older people continues to be limited to a few spaces/contexts and emotions and is stereotyped regarding the same variables (sex, age, environment). Technology often overlooks innovative support tools for older adults, and AI struggles in accurately depicting emotions and environments in digital images. There is a pressing need for thorough pretraining analysis and ethical considerations to address these challenges and ensure more accurate and inclusive representations of older persons in digital media. Full article

Intersexual differentiation is crucial for the speciation and maintenance of dioecious plants, but the underlying mechanisms, including the genes involved, are still poorly understood. Here, we focused on a typical dioicous plant Morus alba, to explore the molecular footprints relevant to sex evolution by revealing the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two sexes and the testing signals of selection for these DEGs. From the results, we found a total of 1543 DEGs. Interestingly, 333 and 66 genes expression were detected only in male and female inflorescences, respectively. Using comparative transcriptomics, the expression of 841 genes were found to be significantly higher in male than in female inflorescences and were mainly enriched in defense-related pathways including the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids, cutin, suberine and waxes. Meanwhile, the expression of 702 genes was female-biased and largely enriched in pathways related to growth and development, such as carbohydrate metabolism, auxin signaling and cellular responses. In addition, 16.7% and 17.6% signals of selection were significantly detected in female- and male-biased genes, respectively, suggesting their non-negligible role in evolution. Our findings expanded the understanding of the molecular basis of intersexual differentiation and contribute to further research on sex evolution in dioecious plants. Full article

Genomic Safe Harbors (GSH) are loci used for the insertion of exogenous genetic elements, enabling exogenous gene expressing predictably without alterations of the host genome. These sites are becoming increasingly important as the gene editing technologies advance rapidly. Currently, only a few GSHs have been identified in the pig genome. In this study, a novel strategy was demonstrated for the efficient insertion of exogenous genetic material into the third exon of the UTY gene on the Y chromosome using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology arm-mediated end joining. The safety of the locus was verified according to the proper expression of the inserted EGFP gene without altering the expression of UTY. This approach enables the integration and expression of the exogenous gene at this locus, indicating that the UTY locus serves as a genomic safe harbor site for gene editing in the pig genome. Located on the Y chromosome, this site can be utilized for sex-biased pig breeding and developing biomedical models. Full article

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a highly destructive invasive pest targeting Solanaceae crops. Its olfactory system plays a crucial role in host location, mate finding, and other behavioral activities. However, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding the characterization of its chemosensory genes. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide identification of 58 odorant receptors (ORs) of T. absoluta. The identified ORs exhibit coding sequence (CDS) lengths ranging from 1062 bp to 1419 bp, encoding proteins of 354 to 473 amino acids. Gene structure analysis showed that the majority of these ORs consist of five, seven, eight, or nine exons, collectively representing 67% of the total ORs identified. Through chromosomal mapping, we identified several tandemly duplicate genes, including TabsOR12a, TabsOR12b, TabsOR12c, TabsOR21a, TabsOR21b, TabsOR34a, TabsOR34b, TabsOR34c, TabsOR62a, and TabsOR62b. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that six TabsORs were clustered within the lepidopteran sex pheromone receptor clade, while an expansion clade containing ten TabsORs resulted from tandem duplication events. Additionally, five TabsORs were classified into a specific OR clade in T. absoluta. Furthermore, through RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR analyses, we identified five TabsORs (TabsOR21a, TabsOR26a, TabsOR34a, TabsOR34c, and TabsOR36) exhibiting female-antennae-biased expression. Our study provides a valuable foundation to further investigations into the molecular and ecological functions of TabsORs, particularly in relation to oviposition behavior. These findings provide foundational data for the future exploration of the functions of female-biased expression OR genes in T. absoluta, thereby facilitating the further development of eco-friendly attract-and-kill techniques for the prevention and control of T. absoluta. Full article

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is a dioecious, diploid, wind-pollinated crop cultivated worldwide. Sex determination plays an important role in spinach breeding. Hence, this study aimed to understand the differences in sexual differentiation and floral organ development of dioecious flowers, as well as the differences in the regulatory mechanisms of floral organ development of dioecious and monoecious flowers. We compared transcriptional-level differences between different genders and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to spinach floral development, as well as sex-biased genes to investigate the flower development mechanisms in spinach. In this study, 9189 DEGs were identified among the different genders. DEG analysis showed the participation of four main transcription factor families, MIKC_MADS, MYB, NAC, and bHLH, in spinach flower development. In our key findings, abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) signal transduction pathways play major roles in male flower development, while auxin regulates both male and female flower development. By constructing a gene regulatory network (GRN) for floral organ development, core transcription factors (TFs) controlling organ initiation and growth were discovered. This analysis of the development of female, male, and monoecious flowers in spinach provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of floral organ development and sexual differentiation in dioecious and monoecious plants in spinach. Full article