02/01/2024

Scientists Found a Major Clue Why Four of Five Autoimmune Patients are Women

The Xist molecule is a major culprit in these diseases

An international team led by scientists at Stanford University has discovered a probable explanation for a decades-old biological mystery: why vastly more women than men suffer from autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Women account for about 80 percent of the people afflicted with autoimmune diseases, a collection of more than 100 ailments that burden a combined 50 million Americans, according to the nonprofit Autoimmune Association. In simple terms, these illnesses manipulate the body’s immune system to attack healthy tissue.

In a paper published Thursday in the journal Cell, researchers present new evidence that a molecule called Xist — pronounced like the word "exist" and found only in women — is a major culprit in these diseases.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.