Men's preferences for women's body odours are not associated with HLA

Objective: Body odours allegedly portray information about an individual's genotype at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC, called HLA in humans). While there is strong experimental support for MHC-associated mating behaviour in animals, the situation in humans is more complex. Previous studies have suggested that women prefer the scent of men with dissimilar HLA to their own. To date only very few studies have looked at HLA-linked olfactory preferences in men and these studies have revealed inconsistent results. Here we investigate men's HLA-associated preferences for women's body odours. Methods: In contrast to previous studies, body odours were gathered at peak fertility (i.e., just before ovulation) when any HLA-associated odour preferences should be strongest. We scrutinized whether men's preference for women's body odours is modulated by (1) the number of shared HLA alleles between men and women, (2) HLA heterozygosity, and (3) the frequency of rare HLA alleles. Results: We found that men could readily differentiate between odours they found attractive and odours they found less attractive, but that these preferences were not associated with HLA. Specifically, men did not prefer odours from women who are HLA dissimilar, HLA heterozygous, or who have rare HLA alleles. Conclusions: Despite adopting rigorous methodology and a large sample size, we found no evidence that men prefer odours from women who are MHC dissimilar, MHC heterozygous, or who have rare MHC alleles. Together, these findings suggest that HLA has no effect on men's mate preferences

The scent of attractiveness: levels of reproductive hormones explain individual differences in women's body odour

Individuals are thought to have their own distinctive body odour which reportedly plays an important role in mate choice. In the present study we investigated individual differences in body odours of women and examined whether some women generally smell more attractive than others or whether odour preferences are a matter of individual taste. We then explored whether levels of reproductive hormones explain women's body odour attractiveness, to test the idea that body odour attractiveness may act as a chemosensory marker of reproductive fitness. Fifty-seven men rated body odours of 28 healthy, naturally cycling women of reproductive age. We collected all odours at peak fertility to control for menstrual cycle effects on body odour attractiveness. Women's salivary oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol levels were assessed at the time of odour collection to test whether hormone levels explain body odour attractiveness. We found that the men highly agreed on how attractive they found women's body odours. Interestingly, women's body odour attractiveness was predicted by their oestradiol and progesterone levels: the higher a woman's levels of oestradiol and the lower her levels of progesterone, the more attractive her body odour was rated. In showing that women's body odour attractiveness is explained by levels of female reproductive hormones, but not by levels of cortisol or testosterone, we provide evidence that body odour acts as a valid cue to potential fertility

The impact of pre-transplant donor specific antibodies on the outcome of kidney transplantation - Data from the Swiss transplant cohort study.

Background Pre-transplant donor specific antibodies (DSA), directed at non-self human leukocyte antigen (HLA) protein variants present in the donor organ, have been associated with worse outcomes in kidney transplantation. The impact of the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) and the target HLA antigen of the detected DSA has, however, not been conclusively studied in a large cohort with a complete virtual cross-match (vXM). Methods We investigated the effect of pre-transplant DSA on the risk of antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR), graft loss, and the rate of eGFR decline in 411 DSA positive transplants and 1804 DSA negative controls. Results Pre-transplant DSA were associated with a significantly increased risk of ABMR, graft loss, and accelerated eGFR decline. DSA directed at Class I and Class II HLA antigens were strongly associated with increased risk of ABMR, but only DSA directed at Class II associated with graft loss. DSA MFI markedly affected outcome, and Class II DSA were associated with ABMR already at 500-1000 MFI, whereas Class I DSA did not affect outcome at similar low MFI values. Furthermore, isolated DSA against HLA-DP carried comparable risks for ABMR, accelerated eGFR decline, and graft loss as DSA against HLA-DR. Conclusion Our results have important implications for the construction and optimization of vXM algorithms used within organ allocation systems. Our data suggest that both the HLA antigen target of the detected DSA as well as the cumulative MFI should be considered and that different MFI cut-offs could be considered for Class I and Class II directed DSA

Pleasant body odours, but not genetic similarity, influence trustworthiness in a modified trust game

Identifying trustworthy partners is an important adaptive challenge for establishing mutually cooperative relationships. Previous studies have demonstrated a marked relationship between a person's attractiveness and his apparent trustworthiness (beauty premium). Kin selection theory, however, suggests that cues to kinship enhance trustworthiness. Here we directly tested predictions of the beauty premium and kin selection theory by using body odours as cues to trustworthiness. Body odours reportedly portray information about an individuals' genotype at the human leucocyte antigen system (HLA) and thus olfactory cues in body odours serve as a promising means for kin recognition. Ninety men played trust games in which they divided uneven sums of monetary units between two male trustees represented by their body odour and rated each body odour for pleasantness. Half of the odours came from HLA-similar men (suggesting closer kin) and half from HLA dissimilar men (suggesting non-kin). We found that the amount of money the players transferred was not related to HLA-similarity, but to the pleasantness of the trustee's body odour. By showing that people with more pleasant body odours are trusted more than people with unpleasant body odour we provide evidence for a "beauty-premium" that overrides any putative effect of kin

Pleasant body odours, but not genetic similarity, influence trustworthiness in a modified trust game

Identifying trustworthy partners is an important adaptive challenge for establishing mutually cooperative relationships. Previous studies have demonstrated a marked relationship between a person’s attractiveness and his apparent trustworthiness (beauty premium). Kin selection theory, however, suggests that cues to kinship enhance trustworthiness. Here we directly tested predictions of the beauty premium and kin selection theory by using body odours as cues to trustworthiness. Body odours reportedly portray information about an individuals’ genotype at the human leucocyte antigen system (HLA) and thus olfactory cues in body odours serve as a promising means for kin recognition. Ninety men played trust games in which they divided uneven sums of monetary units between two male trustees represented by their body odour and rated each body odour for pleasantness. Half of the odours came from HLA-similar men (suggesting closer kin) and half from HLA dissimilar men (suggesting non-kin). We found that the amount of money the players transferred was not related to HLA-similarity, but to the pleasantness of the trustee’s body odour. By showing that people with more pleasant body odours are trusted more than people with unpleasant body odour we provide evidence for a “beauty-premium” that overrides any putative effect of kin

Lobmaier_Data

Data used in Lobmaier et al., "The scent of attractiveness: Levels of reproductive hormones explain individual differences in women’s body odou

Riecht eine fruchtbare Frau für alle Männer gleich gut? Von Anja Garms (Journalistin)

Zwei Menschen können sich entweder riechen oder nicht. Das ist nicht neu, doch Forscher wollten es genauer wissen: Riecht eine bestimmte Frau in ihrer fruchtbaren Phase nur für einen bestimmten Mann gut - oder gar für alle Männer

Men's preferences for women's body odours are not associated with HLA

Objective: Body odours allegedly portray information about an individual's genotype at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC, called HLA in humans). While there is strong experimental support for MHC-associated mating behaviour in animals, the situation in humans is more complex. Previous studies have suggested that women prefer the scent of men with dissimilar HLA to their own. To date only very few studies have looked at HLA-linked olfactory preferences in men and these studies have revealed inconsistent results. Here we investigate men's HLA-associated preferences for women's body odours. Methods: In contrast to previous studies, body odours were gathered at peak fertility (i.e., just before ovulation) when any HLA-associated odour preferences should be strongest. We scrutinized whether men's preference for women's body odours is modulated by (1) the number of shared HLA alleles between men and women, (2) HLA heterozygosity, and (3) the frequency of rare HLA alleles. Results: We found that men could readily differentiate between odours they found attractive and odours they found less attractive, but that these preferences were not associated with HLA. Specifically, men did not prefer odours from women who are HLA dissimilar, HLA heterozygous, or who have rare HLA alleles. Conclusions: Despite adopting rigorous methodology and a large sample size, we found no evidence that men prefer odours from women who are MHC dissimilar, MHC heterozygous, or who have rare MHC alleles. Together, these findings suggest that HLA has no effect on men's mate preferences