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Ventresca C, Martschenko DO, Wedow R, Civelek M, Tabery J, Carlson J, Parker SCJ, Ramos PS. The methodological and ethical concerns of genetic studies of same-sex sexual behavior. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:2107-2116. [PMID: 39255798 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Same-sex sexual behavior has long interested genetics researchers in part because, while there is evidence of heritability, the trait as typically defined is associated with fewer offspring. Investigations of this phenomenon began in the 1990s with linkage studies and continue today with the advent of genome-wide association studies. As this body of research grows, so does critical scientific and ethical review of it. Here, we provide a targeted overview of existing genetics studies on same-sex sexual behavior, highlight the ethical and scientific considerations of this nascent field, and provide recommendations developed by the authors to enhance social and ethical responsibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa Ventresca
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, USA; Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, USA.
| | - Daphne O Martschenko
- Center for Biomedical Ethics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Robbee Wedow
- Department of Sociology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; AnalytiXIN, Indianapolis, IN 46259, USA; Center on Aging and the Life Course, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Department of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Mete Civelek
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - James Tabery
- Department of Philosophy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jedidiah Carlson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Stephen C J Parker
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, USA; Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, USA; Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, USA
| | - Paula S Ramos
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
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Bragazzi NL, Converti M, Crapanzano A, Zerbetto R, Siri A, Khamisy-Farah R. Probing the genomic landscape of human sexuality: a critical systematic review of the literature. Front Genet 2023; 14:1184758. [PMID: 37693319 PMCID: PMC10483070 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1184758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether human sexuality is the result of nature or nurture (or their complex interplay) represents a hot, often ideologically driven, and highly polarized debate with political and social ramifications, and with varying, conflicting findings reported in the literature. A number of heritability and behavioral genetics studies, including pedigree-based investigations, have hypothesized inheritance patterns of human sexual behaviors. On the other hand, in most twin, adoption, and nuclear family studies, it was not possible to disentangle between underlying genetic and shared environmental sources. Furthermore, these studies were not able to estimate the precise extent of genetic loading and to shed light both on the number and nature of the putative inherited factors, which remained largely unknown. Molecular genetic studies offer an unprecedented opportunity to overcome these drawbacks, by dissecting the molecular basis of human sexuality and allowing a better understanding of its biological roots if any. However, there exists no systematic review of the molecular genetics of human sexuality. Therefore, we undertook this critical systematic review and appraisal of the literature, with the ambitious aims of filling in these gaps of knowledge, especially from the methodological standpoint, and providing guidance to future studies. Sixteen studies were finally retained and overviewed in the present systematic review study. Seven studies were linkage studies, four studies utilized the candidate gene approach, and five studies were GWAS investigations. Limitations of these studies and implications for further research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
- Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (LIAM), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Postgraduate School of Public Health, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair, Health Anthropology Biosphere and Healing Systems, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Crapanzano
- Department of Counseling, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Anna Siri
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair, Health Anthropology Biosphere and Healing Systems, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Rola Khamisy-Farah
- Clalit Health Services, Akko, Israel
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
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Clive J, Flintham E, Savolainen V. Same-sex sociosexual behaviour is widespread and heritable in male rhesus macaques. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1287-1301. [PMID: 37429903 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02111-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Numerous reports have documented the occurrence of same-sex sociosexual behaviour (SSB) across animal species. However, the distribution of the behaviour within a species needs to be studied to test hypotheses describing its evolution and maintenance, in particular whether the behaviour is heritable and can therefore evolve by natural selection. Here we collected detailed observations across 3 yr of social and mounting behaviour of 236 male semi-wild rhesus macaques, which we combined with a pedigree dating back to 1938, to show that SSB is both repeatable (19.35%) and heritable (6.4%). Demographic factors (age and group structure) explained SSB variation only marginally. Furthermore, we found a positive genetic correlation between same-sex mounter and mountee activities, indicating a common basis to different forms of SSB. Finally, we found no evidence of fitness costs to SSB, but show instead that the behaviour mediated coalitionary partnerships that have been linked to improved reproductive success. Together, our results demonstrate that SSB is frequent in rhesus macaques, can evolve, and is not costly, indicating that SSB may be a common feature of primate reproductive ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson Clive
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Ewan Flintham
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Vincent Savolainen
- Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK.
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Hammack-Aviran C, Eilmus A, Diehl C, Gottlieb KG, Gonzales G, Davis LK, Clayton EW. LGBTQ+ Perspectives on Conducting Genomic Research on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Behav Genet 2022; 52:246-267. [PMID: 35614288 PMCID: PMC9132750 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-022-10105-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with LGBTQ+-identified individuals (n = 31) to explore the range of LGBTQ+ perspectives on genomic research using either sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI) data. Most interviewees presumed that research would confirm genetic contributions to sexual orientation and gender identity. Primary hopes for such confirmation included validating LGBTQ+ identities, improved access to and quality of healthcare and other resources, and increased acceptance in familial, socio-cultural, and political environments. Areas of concern included threats of pathologizing and medicalizing LGBTQ+ identities and experiences, undermining reproductive rights, gatekeeping of health or social systems, and malicious testing or misuse of genetic results, particularly for LGBTQ+ youth. Overall, interviewees were divided on the acceptability of genomic research investigating genetic contributions to sexual orientation and gender identity. Participants emphasized researchers' ethical obligations to LGBTQ+ individuals and endorsed engagement with LGBTQ+ communities throughout all aspects of genomic research using SOGI data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Hammack-Aviran
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave., Suite 400, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| | - Ayden Eilmus
- College of Arts and Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carolyn Diehl
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave., Suite 400, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA
| | | | - Gilbert Gonzales
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lea K Davis
- Department of Medicine, Health and Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ellen Wright Clayton
- Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave., Suite 400, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA.
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Treff NR, Savulescu J, de Melo-Martín I, Shulman LP, Feinberg EC. Should preimplantation genetic testing for polygenic disease be offered to all - or none? Fertil Steril 2022; 117:1162-1167. [PMID: 35513906 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan R Treff
- Genomic Prediction Inc., North Brunswick, New Jersey; Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Julian Savulescu
- Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Biomedical Ethics Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Lee P Shulman
- Feinberg School of Medicine-Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Reproductive Genetics Innovations, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Eve C Feinberg
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
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