Sex-biased transcriptomic responsivity of the reproductive axis to stress

Stress can negatively affect reproduction, resulting in a decrease in sexual behaviors and motivation, malfunction of reproductive systems, and infertility. However, little is known of the genomic basis for this disruption and how it may differ between the sexes. This report offers the most in-depth investigation to-date of how stress affects all gene activity of tissues vital for reproduction - the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland, and the testes and ovaries. We found that females exhibit increased gene activity in response to stress as compared to males, creating a genomic foundation on which sex-specific reproductive dysfunction and adaptation in the face of stress can be studied, as well as offering new gene targets for genetic intervention and therapy investigations.