Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome

Rick Jansen; Sandra Batista; Andrew I. Brooks; Jay A. Tischfield; Gonneke Willemsen; Gerard Van Grootheest; Jouke Jan Hottenga; Yuri Milaneschi; Hamdi Mbarek; Vered Madar; Wouter Peyrot; Jacqueline M. Vink; Cor L. Verweij; Eco J.C. de Geus; Johannes H. Smit; Fred A. Wright; Patrick F. Sullivan; Dorret I. Boomsma; Brenda W.J.H. Penninx

doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-33

Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome

Rick Jansen^*
, Sandra Batista
, Andrew I. Brooks
, Jay A. Tischfield
, Gonneke Willemsen
, Gerard Van Grootheest
, Jouke Jan Hottenga
, Yuri Milaneschi
, Hamdi Mbarek
, Vered Madar
, Wouter Peyrot
, Jacqueline M. Vink
, Cor L. Verweij
, Eco J.C. de Geus
, Johannes H. Smit
, Fred A. Wright
, Patrick F. Sullivan
, Dorret I. Boomsma
, Brenda W.J.H. Penninx

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

127 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Genomes of men and women differ in only a limited number of genes located on the sex chromosomes, whereas the transcriptome is far more sex-specific. Identification of sex-biased gene expression will contribute to understanding the molecular basis of sex-differences in complex traits and common diseases.Results: Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome were characterized using microarrays in 5,241 subjects, accounting for menopause status and hormonal contraceptive use. Sex-specific expression was observed for 582 autosomal genes, of which 57.7% was upregulated in women (female-biased genes). Female-biased genes were enriched for several immune system GO categories, genes linked to rheumatoid arthritis (16%) and genes regulated by estrogen (18%). Male-biased genes were enriched for genes linked to renal cancer (9%). Sex-differences in gene expression were smaller in postmenopausal women, larger in women using hormonal contraceptives and not caused by sex-specific eQTLs, confirming the role of estrogen in regulating sex-biased genes.Conclusions: This study indicates that sex-bias in gene expression is extensive and may underlie sex-differences in the prevalence of common diseases.

Original language	English
Article number	33
Journal	BMC Genomics
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-15-33
Publication status	Published - 17 Jan 2014
Externally published	Yes

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Jansen, R., Batista, S., Brooks, A. I., Tischfield, J. A., Willemsen, G., Van Grootheest, G., Hottenga, J. J., Milaneschi, Y., Mbarek, H., Madar, V., Peyrot, W., Vink, J. M., Verweij, C. L., de Geus, E. J. C., Smit, J. H., Wright, F. A., Sullivan, P. F., Boomsma, D. I., & Penninx, B. W. J. H. (2014). Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome. BMC Genomics, 15(1), Article 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-15-33

@article{70fbc4e509a347ec9901af7029e12030,

title = "Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome",

abstract = "Background: Genomes of men and women differ in only a limited number of genes located on the sex chromosomes, whereas the transcriptome is far more sex-specific. Identification of sex-biased gene expression will contribute to understanding the molecular basis of sex-differences in complex traits and common diseases.Results: Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome were characterized using microarrays in 5,241 subjects, accounting for menopause status and hormonal contraceptive use. Sex-specific expression was observed for 582 autosomal genes, of which 57.7\% was upregulated in women (female-biased genes). Female-biased genes were enriched for several immune system GO categories, genes linked to rheumatoid arthritis (16\%) and genes regulated by estrogen (18\%). Male-biased genes were enriched for genes linked to renal cancer (9\%). Sex-differences in gene expression were smaller in postmenopausal women, larger in women using hormonal contraceptives and not caused by sex-specific eQTLs, confirming the role of estrogen in regulating sex-biased genes.Conclusions: This study indicates that sex-bias in gene expression is extensive and may underlie sex-differences in the prevalence of common diseases.",

author = "Rick Jansen and Sandra Batista and Brooks, \{Andrew I.\} and Tischfield, \{Jay A.\} and Gonneke Willemsen and \{Van Grootheest\}, Gerard and Hottenga, \{Jouke Jan\} and Yuri Milaneschi and Hamdi Mbarek and Vered Madar and Wouter Peyrot and Vink, \{Jacqueline M.\} and Verweij, \{Cor L.\} and \{de Geus\}, \{Eco J.C.\} and Smit, \{Johannes H.\} and Wright, \{Fred A.\} and Sullivan, \{Patrick F.\} and Boomsma, \{Dorret I.\} and Penninx, \{Brenda W.J.H.\}",

year = "2014",

month = jan,

day = "17",

doi = "10.1186/1471-2164-15-33",

language = "English",

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Jansen, R, Batista, S, Brooks, AI, Tischfield, JA, Willemsen, G, Van Grootheest, G, Hottenga, JJ, Milaneschi, Y, Mbarek, H, Madar, V, Peyrot, W, Vink, JM, Verweij, CL, de Geus, EJC, Smit, JH, Wright, FA, Sullivan, PF, Boomsma, DI & Penninx, BWJH 2014, 'Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome', BMC Genomics, vol. 15, no. 1, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-15-33

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome

AU - Jansen, Rick

AU - Batista, Sandra

AU - Brooks, Andrew I.

AU - Tischfield, Jay A.

AU - Willemsen, Gonneke

AU - Van Grootheest, Gerard

AU - Hottenga, Jouke Jan

AU - Milaneschi, Yuri

AU - Mbarek, Hamdi

AU - Madar, Vered

AU - Peyrot, Wouter

AU - Vink, Jacqueline M.

AU - Verweij, Cor L.

AU - de Geus, Eco J.C.

AU - Smit, Johannes H.

AU - Wright, Fred A.

AU - Sullivan, Patrick F.

AU - Boomsma, Dorret I.

AU - Penninx, Brenda W.J.H.

PY - 2014/1/17

Y1 - 2014/1/17

N2 - Background: Genomes of men and women differ in only a limited number of genes located on the sex chromosomes, whereas the transcriptome is far more sex-specific. Identification of sex-biased gene expression will contribute to understanding the molecular basis of sex-differences in complex traits and common diseases.Results: Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome were characterized using microarrays in 5,241 subjects, accounting for menopause status and hormonal contraceptive use. Sex-specific expression was observed for 582 autosomal genes, of which 57.7% was upregulated in women (female-biased genes). Female-biased genes were enriched for several immune system GO categories, genes linked to rheumatoid arthritis (16%) and genes regulated by estrogen (18%). Male-biased genes were enriched for genes linked to renal cancer (9%). Sex-differences in gene expression were smaller in postmenopausal women, larger in women using hormonal contraceptives and not caused by sex-specific eQTLs, confirming the role of estrogen in regulating sex-biased genes.Conclusions: This study indicates that sex-bias in gene expression is extensive and may underlie sex-differences in the prevalence of common diseases.

AB - Background: Genomes of men and women differ in only a limited number of genes located on the sex chromosomes, whereas the transcriptome is far more sex-specific. Identification of sex-biased gene expression will contribute to understanding the molecular basis of sex-differences in complex traits and common diseases.Results: Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome were characterized using microarrays in 5,241 subjects, accounting for menopause status and hormonal contraceptive use. Sex-specific expression was observed for 582 autosomal genes, of which 57.7% was upregulated in women (female-biased genes). Female-biased genes were enriched for several immune system GO categories, genes linked to rheumatoid arthritis (16%) and genes regulated by estrogen (18%). Male-biased genes were enriched for genes linked to renal cancer (9%). Sex-differences in gene expression were smaller in postmenopausal women, larger in women using hormonal contraceptives and not caused by sex-specific eQTLs, confirming the role of estrogen in regulating sex-biased genes.Conclusions: This study indicates that sex-bias in gene expression is extensive and may underlie sex-differences in the prevalence of common diseases.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84892471805

U2 - 10.1186/1471-2164-15-33

DO - 10.1186/1471-2164-15-33

M3 - Article

C2 - 24438232

AN - SCOPUS:84892471805

SN - 1471-2164

VL - 15

JO - BMC Genomics

JF - BMC Genomics

IS - 1

M1 - 33

ER -

Sex differences in the human peripheral blood transcriptome

Abstract

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