Men tend to lose the Y chromosome from their cells as they age. But because the Y chromosome bears few genes other than those for male determination, it was thought that this loss would not affect health.
But evidence has mounted over the past few years that when people who have a Y chromosome lose it, the loss is associated with serious diseases throughout the body, contributing to a shorter lifespan.
Loss of the Y chromosome in older men
New techniques to detect Y chromosome genes show frequent loss of the Y chromosome in tissues of older men. The increase with age is clear: 40% of 60-year-old men show loss of the Y chromosome, but 57% of 90-year-olds lose it. Environmental factors such as smoking and exposure to carcinogens also play a role.
Loss of the Y chromosome occurs only in some cells, and their descendants never get it back. This creates a mosaic of cells with and without a Y chromosome in the body. Y-less cells grow faster than normal cells in culture, suggesting they may have an advantage in the body — and in tumours.
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