All articles tagged with #xist
A study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard uses a modified CRISPR/Cas9 to insert the chromosome-silencing XIST RNA into trisomy 21 cells, silencing the extra chromosome in a subset of cell lines and offering a potential path toward chromosomal therapy for Down syndrome, but much work remains to assess safety, delivery, and whether effects translate to animals and humans.
A new paper explains why females are more prone to autoimmune diseases, attributing it to their double complement of X chromosomes. The X inactivation process, involving the Xist RNA and protein complex, leads to genetic mosaicism in females. Researchers at Stanford University found that introducing a mutated Xist gene into male mice led to the development of autoimmune diseases, mimicking the severity seen in females. This study sheds light on the role of Xist in autoimmune diseases and may lead to new targets for diagnosis and treatment.