rs12203592

Genome-wide association meta-analysis of cutaneous melanoma combining pathologically confirmed cases with 23andMe self-reported cases identified 54 genome-wide significant loci. The study confirmed 19 of 21 previously reported loci, revealed complex LD structure at the AHR/AGR3 region (rs117132860, p=3.8×10−21), and identified novel associations including those near MFSD12/FZR1. Key variants included rs12215602 (IRF4), rs16953002 and rs62034121 (FTO), and variants associated with pigmentation phenotypes (hair color, nevus count, sunburn susceptibility).

Genome-wide association study of sagging eyelids (dermatochalasis) in 5,578 Rotterdam Study participants and 1,053 TwinsUK twins identified a genome-wide significant protective effect for the C allele of rs11876749 (P=1.7×10⁻⁸) in a recessive model. Risk factors included age, male sex, lighter skin color, and higher BMI. Heritability of sagging eyelids was estimated at 61% in the twin cohort.

This study examined associations between sun-sensitive pigmentary gene variants and serum PSA levels in 1033 older Australian men. Variants in SLC45A2 (rs28777: -19.6%, rs16891982: -17.3%) were associated with lower PSA levels in all men. Variants in MC1R (rs1805007) and ASIP (rs4911414) showed significant interactions with birth region, with higher PSA levels in ANZ-born men carrying the variants. Post-hoc analysis found increased testosterone in MC1R rs1805007 carriers and elevated dihydrotestosterone in ASIP rs1015362 carriers.

This genome-wide association study (GWAS) of pigmentary traits in East Asian populations (N=305 skin, N=342 iris) identifies a genome-wide significant signal for iris color in the OCA2 region, with rs1800414 (His615Arg) explaining 11.9%, 10.4%, and 6% of variation in b*, a*, and L* coordinates respectively. While no genome-wide significant signals were detected for skin pigmentation, rs2373391 in ZNF804B was replicated in independent Chinese samples (p=0.003).

Genetic association study of 202 melanoma patients examining SNPs in 24 candidate genes related to pigmentation and wound healing in relation to scar outcome. SNP rs8110090 in TGFβ1 was significantly associated with poorer scar outcomes (p=0.0002). Clinical factors including younger age, shorter time since surgery, and presence of infection or eczema were also associated with worse scarring.

This study demonstrates that human hair color can be predicted from DNA variants with high accuracy using a multinomial logistic regression model. A subset of 13 genetic markers from 11 genes (MC1R, HERC2, IRF4, TYR, EXOC2, SLC45A2, TYRP1, OCA2, SLC24A4, KITLG, ASIP) predicted hair color categories in Polish Europeans with AUC values of 0.93 for red hair, 0.87 for black hair, 0.82 for brown hair, and 0.81 for blond hair. MC1R variants showed the strongest association with red hair (OR=12.64 for R variants, P=2.5×10⁻¹⁷), while rs12913832 in HERC2 was significantly associated with darker hair colors (OR=3.33 for black, P=4.3×10⁻⁶).

Genome-wide association studies and comparative genomics have identified major pigmentation loci (SLC24A5, SLC45A2, TYR, OCA2, MC1R, IRF4, TPCN2) showing evidence of strong natural selection in human populations. Light skin variants in Europeans and Asians underwent complete or near-complete selective sweeps, with SLC24A5 rs1426654 and SLC45A2 variants representing independent evolutionary mechanisms. Critical skin-lightening variants arose 11,000-30,000 years ago during human demographic expansion, driven by UV radiation exposure, vitamin D synthesis requirements, and possibly sexual selection.

A cross-sectional genetic association study examining 362 Danish individuals investigating relationships between pigmentation genes and quantitative skin color, nevus counts, and familial atypical multiple-mole and melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome. MC1R variants were significantly associated with lighter arm pigmentation (p < 0.001), indicating effects on tanning response rather than constitutive skin color. No significant associations with FAMMM or nevus counts remained significant after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing.

This Danish study of 246 healthy individuals and 116 at-risk melanoma patients investigated associations between 32 pigmentary SNPs and quantitative skin color, nevi count, and familial atypical multiple-mole and melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome. Individuals carrying two or more MC1R variants (including missense mutations p.TYR152* and frameshift p.Asn29Glnfs*14) had significantly lighter skin on the upper-inner arm (p<0.001) reflecting impaired tanning ability, but no associations were found with FAMMM syndrome, suggesting FAMMM genetics are distinct from pigmentation pathways.