Male homosexuality and maternal immune responsivity to the Y-linked protein NLGN4Y
TY - JOUR
A1 - Bogaert, Anthony F.
A1 - Skorska, Malvina N.
A1 - Wang, Chao
A1 - Gabrie, José
A1 - MacNeil, Adam J.
A1 - Hoffarth, Mark R.
A1 - VanderLaan, Doug P.
A1 - Zucker, Kenneth J.
A1 - Blanchard, Ray
T1 - Male homosexuality and maternal immune responsivity to the Y-linked protein NLGN4Y
Y1 - 2017/12/11
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
M3 - 10.1073/pnas.1705895114
UR - http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/12/05/1705895114.abstract
N2 - We conducted a direct test of an immunological explanation of the finding that gay men have a greater number of older brothers than do heterosexual men. This explanation posits that some mothers develop antibodies against a Y-linked protein important in male brain development, and that this effect becomes increasingly likely with each male gestation, altering brain structures underlying sexual orientation in their later-born sons. Immune assays targeting two Y-linked proteins important in brain development—protocadherin 11 Y-linked (PCDH11Y) and neuroligin 4 Y-linked (NLGN4Y; isoforms 1 and 2)—were developed. Plasma from mothers of sons, about half of whom had a gay son, along with additional controls (women with no sons, men) was analyzed for male protein-specific antibodies. Results indicated women had significantly higher anti-NLGN4Y levels than men. In addition, after statistically controlling for number of pregnancies, mothers of gay sons, particularly those with older brothers, had significantly higher anti-NLGN4Y levels than did the control samples of women, including mothers of heterosexual sons. The results suggest an association between a maternal immune response to NLGN4Y and subsequent sexual orientation in male offspring.
ER -
