title: Y chromosome gene expression in the blood of male patients with ischemic stroke compared with male controls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sex is suggested to be an important determinant of ischemic stroke risk factors, etiology, and outcome. However, the basis for this remains unclear. The Y chromosome is unique in males. Genes expressed in males on the Y chromosome that are associated with stroke may be important genetic contributors to the unique features of males with ischemic stroke, which would be helpful for explaining sex differences observed between men and women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We compared Y chromosome gene expression in males with ischemic stroke and male controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were obtained from 40 male patients ≤3, 5, and 24 hours after ischemic stroke and from 41 male controls (July 2003-April 2007). RNA was isolated from blood and was processed using Affymetrix Human U133 Plus 2.0 expression arrays (Affymetrix Inc., Santa Clara, California). Y chromosome genes differentially expressed between male patients with stroke and male control subjects were identified using an ANCOVA adjusted for age and batch. A P < 0.05 and a fold change >1.2 were considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven genes on the Y chromosome were differentially expressed in males with ischemic stroke compared with controls. Five of these genes (VAMP7, CSF2RA, SPRY3, DHRSX, and PLCXD1) are located on pseudoautosomal regions of the human Y chromosome. The other 2 genes (EIF1AY and DDX3Y) are located on the nonrecombining region of the human Y chromosome. The identified genes were associated with immunology, RNA metabolism, vesicle fusion, and angiogenesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific genes on the Y chromosome are differentially expressed in blood after ischemic stroke. These genes provide insight into potential molecular contributors to sex differences in ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and the MIND Institute, University of California at Davis, Sacramento, California 95817, USA. yftian@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Yingfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Boryana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stamova
authors.forename: Glen C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Jickling
authors.forename: Huichun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Dazhi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bradley P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Ander
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bushnell
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Renee J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Ryan R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verro
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Pevec
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hedayati
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: Edward C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Jauch
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pancioli
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Broderick
authors.forename: Frank R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Sharp
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult