More than 1,000 genetic switches reveal why female immunity is different
Science Daily · 2026-08-20
New research published on August 20, 2026, in *The American Journal of Human Genetics* sheds light on why women are significantly more prone to autoimmune diseases like lupus. Scientists have identified over 1,000 genetic switches that operate differently in female and male immune cells, contributing to heightened activity in inflammation-related pathways in females. This discovery helps explain women's stronger immune defenses against infections while also revealing a biological trade-off: a greater predisposition to autoimmune conditions.
The study, led by Garvan's Dr. Seyhan Yazar and co-senior author Dr. Sara Ballouz from UNSW, utilized new single-cell technologies to analyze more than 1.25 million peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nearly 1,000 healthy individuals in the OneK1K cohort. This detailed resolution showed females possessing more B cells and regulatory T cells, with immune cells exhibiting increased genetic activity linked to inflammation. Conversely, males had more monocytes and gene activity focused on cellular maintenance. Crucially, most of the identified sex-specific genetic switches were found on autosomes, not sex chromosomes, challenging previous assumptions. This insight provides a new rationale for why female-biased genes are heavily enriched in inflammatory pathways, potentially leading to the immune system mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues.
The full article also explores how these findings could lead to more personalized autoimmune treatments, moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches.