title: Does the X chromosome have a special role in immune biology?
abstract: The observation that a number of gene clusters or "supergenes" are critical in the genetic regulation of the immune response was used to introduce the hypothesis that multiple X chromosome genes are similarly organized and that they play some special critical role in the immune response. The evidence discussed included current information on several of the human X-linked immune deficiencies, data from mice and studies suggesting X chromosome genes have "regulatory" functions in non-immune tissues. A set of potentially testable speculations based on the hypothesis were advanced.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007121:Immunocompetence; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000235:genetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology*; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000502:physiology*