aging It is a natural process of life and manifests itself as a progressive physiological deterioration. Although many people prefer not to think about the passage of time, it is part of human existence. However, there are significant differences in the way men and women age, and a protein could help explain these variations.
A group of international researchers highlighted that the SIRT7 protein could be part of the cellular response to stress and aging, so it would be key to understanding the differences in health and aging between both sexes.
The National Library of Medicine notes that humans are constantly exposed to exogenous and endogenous stressors. In response, the body activates compensatory mechanisms at the cellular, tissue and organic levels. These processes can accelerate aging, so the action of the SIRT7 protein could help reduce their effects.
The researchers determined that SIRT7 could play an important role in biological differences that influence health, disease development during old age, and the aging process.
The EFE agency highlights that SIRT7 maintains physiological homeostasis and protects against aging by acting as a guardian of genomic integrity, a dynamic sensor and a stress modulator.
The study, led by the Josep Carreras Institute and Mass General Brigham, Boston, United States, explores how the decrease in SIRT7 alters metabolic homeostasis, accelerates aging and increases the risk of age-related pathologies.
Additionally, the researchers note that the effects of SIRT7 could help explain differences in aging between men and women. In this context, the analysis of sex chromosomes constitutes one of the most promising lines of research.
According to the study, the basis for these differences could be found in the sex chromosomes. While men have one X and one Y chromosome, women have two X chromosomes, although one remains inactive to maintain genetic balance, according to Milenio.
Maintaining an inactive X chromosome causes the active chromosome to increase its activity, which can make DNA more vulnerable to damage and generate greater genomic instability. This could promote cellular aging and various diseases, with potentially more serious consequences in women.
The research, published in the journal Naturehighlights that alterations in the activity of the X chromosome could affect the development of blood and immune cells, which would generate different effects on diseases depending on sex.
Likewise, the researchers consider that this finding could contribute to a better understanding of the malignant transformation of these cells and the mechanisms that protect them against genetic alterations that favor the development of hematological cancers.