Loss of Chromosome y and Its Potential Applications as Biomarker in Health and Forensic Sciences

Abstract

Loss of chromosome Y (LOY) is a mosaic aneuploidy that can be detected mainly in blood samples of male individuals. Usually, LOY occurrence increases with chronological age in healthy men. Moreover, recently LOY has been reported in association with several diseases, such as cancer, where its frequency is even higher. The Y chromosome is one of the shortest chromosomes of the human karyotype, and it is crucial for correct male development. This chromosome has functions beyond the male reproductive system, and loss of its genes or even LOY can have consequences for the male body that are yet to be elucidated. Analyses of the Y chromosome are largely applied in forensic contexts such as paternity testing, ancestry studies, and sexual assault cases, among others. Thus, LOY can be a disadvantage, limiting laboratory methods and result interpretation. However, as an advantage, LOY detection could be used as a biological age biomarker due to its association with the aging process. The potential application of LOY as biomarker highlights the necessity to clarify the molecular mechanism behind its occurrence and its possible applications in both health and forensic studies.