25/08/2025
The researchers say the "loss of Y is killing men."
In a new study in European Heart Journal, researchers found that the mosaic loss of Y chromosome is an overlooked and
*major* risk factor for heart disease deaths in men.
Men who lose a significant portion of the Y chromosome in their blood cells are at a sharply higher risk of dying from heart-related conditions, according to the research involving over 1,600 patients who underwent coronary angiography.
The study found that men with over 17% loss of the Y chromosome in their blood cells had a 49% greater risk of dying from cardiovascular causes, particularly fatal heart attacks.
Researchers say this genetic change-called mosaic loss of Y (LOY)-is common after age 60 and may contribute to dangerous heart tissue scarring and inflammation.
The study linked LOY to increased levels of proteins associated with fibrosis and inflammation, as well as changes in the expression of key genes that regulate immune and heart cell function.
One of those genes, RPS5, was shown to play a direct role in promoting heart fibrosis when silenced in immune cells. While men with a genetic profile that protects against heart scarring were somewhat shielded from these effects, LOY still posed a major independent risk factor for heart-related death.
Scientists now believe targeting LOY could pave the way for sex-specific therapies to reduce heart disease mortality in men.
source
Weyrich M, Zewinger S, Sarakpi T, Rasper T, Kleber ME, Cremer S, Zanders L, Fleck F, Siegbahn A, Wallentin L,
Abplanalp WT, Nerbas L, Fay S, Eberle AL, Dimmeler S, März W, Speer T, Zeiher AM. "Mosaic loss of Y chromosome and mortality after coronary angiography." Eur Heart J. 2025 May 2;46(17)
