Male-biased Cyp17a2 orchestrates antiviral sexual dimorphism in fish via STING stabilization and viral protein degradation.

ABSTRACT: Differences in immunity between males and females in living organisms are generally thought to be due to sex hormones and sex chromosomes, and it is often assumed that males have a weaker immune response. Here, we report that in fish, males exhibit stronger antiviral immune responses, the male-biased gene cyp17a2 as a critical mediator of this enhanced response. First, we observed that male zebrafish exhibit enhanced antiviral resistance compared to females, and notably, zebrafish lack sex chromosomes. Through transcriptomic screening, we found that cyp17a2 was specifically highly expressed in male fish. Cyp17a2 knockout males were equivalent to wild-type males in terms of sex organs and androgen secretion, but the ability to upregulate IFN as well as antiviral resista

SUBMITTER: Lu LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12916102 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature