MSGID: 1:317/3 647eb67e   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    The look of your eyebrows is in your genes; A new study uncovers genes   
   that define the appearance of eyebrows    
      
     Date:   
         June 5, 2023   
     Source:   
         Elsevier   
     Summary:   
         The first gene mapping study on eyebrow thickness in Europeans   
         discovered three previously unreported genetic loci. The study   
         demonstrates that eyebrow appearance has partly the same and   
         partly different underlying genes in people from different parts   
         of the world.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
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   The first gene mapping study on eyebrow thickness in Europeans discovered   
   three previously unreported genetic loci, as reported in a Letter to   
   the Editor in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by   
   Elsevier. The study conducted by the International Visible Trait Genetics   
   (VisiGen) Consortium demonstrates that eyebrow appearance has partly   
   the same and partly different underlying genes in people from different   
   parts of the world.   
      
   The appearance of human eyebrows is not just a matter of grooming but   
   is in the genes. Eyebrow thickness, as any other appearance trait,   
   is highly heritable.   
      
   Thus far, genetic knowledge on eyebrow thickness has been very limited and   
   solely restricted to non-Europeans. This study is the first genome-wide   
   association study (GWAS) on eyebrow thickness in Europeans. By identifying   
   new genes and rediscovering some of the genes previously identified   
   in non- Europeans, the study expands genetic knowledge on human eyebrow   
   variation, which is of broad interest and has implications for dermatology   
   and other fields.   
      
   Previous studies were performed among Latin American and Chinese   
   individuals, establishing four eyebrow thickness -associated genetic   
   loci. Because no European eyebrow thickness GWAS had been reported,   
   researchers did not know whether the genetic eyebrow thickness effects   
   described in non-Europeans persist in Europeans, or whether there are   
   European-specific genetic loci involved in eyebrow thickness, or both.   
      
   Lead investigator Prof. Dr. Manfred Kayser, Department of Genetic   
   Identification, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, and   
   co-chair of the VisiGen Consortium responsible for this study, commented,   
   "Despite the immense efforts in mapping genes underlying human complex   
   traits, we still know much more about the genes that make us sick than   
   about those behind our healthy looks. For the first time, we performed a   
   gene mapping study on eyebrow thickness variation in Europeans. Previous   
   genetic knowledge on eyebrow thickness was limited and solely restricted   
   to non-Europeans. We discovered new genes involved in eyebrow variation   
   in Europeans and rediscovered some of the genes previously identified   
   in non-Europeans."  The study among 9,948 individuals from four groups   
   of European ancestry not only discovered three previously unreported   
   genetic loci associated with eyebrow thickness, but also rediscovered two   
   of the four genetic loci previously found in non-Europeans. Two other   
   genetic loci previously reported in non-Europeans had minimal effects   
   in Europeans, due to very low allele frequencies in Europeans.   
      
   Prof. Dr. Kayser concluded, "Our study significantly improves the genetic   
   knowledge of human eyebrow appearance by increasing the number of known   
   genes from four to seven and delivers new targets for future functional   
   studies. By having demonstrated that eyebrow variation is determined by   
   both shared and distinct genetic factors across continental populations,   
   our findings underline the need for studying populations of different   
   ancestries for unveiling the genetic basis of human traits, including,   
   but not restricted to, physical appearance."   
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Health_&_Medicine   
                   # Genes # Personalized_Medicine # Gene_Therapy #   
                   Human_Biology # Medical_Topics # Parkinson's_Research #   
                   Down_Syndrome # Diseases_and_Conditions   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Alzheimer's_disease o Gene o BRCA2 o Molecular_biology o   
             Gene_therapy o BRCA1 o Genetic_code o Genetics   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by Elsevier. Note: Content may be edited   
   for style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Fuduan Peng, Ziyi Xiong, Gu Zhu, Pirro G. Hysi, Ryan J. Eller,   
      Sijie Wu,   
         Kaustubh Adhikari, Yan Chen, Yi Li, Rolando Gonzalez-Jose', Lavinia   
         Schu"ler-Faccini, Maria-Ca'tira Bortolini, Victor Acun~a-Alonzo,   
         Samuel Canizales-Quinteros, Carla Gallo, Giovanni Poletti,   
         Gabriel Bedoya, Francisco Rothhammer, Andre' G. Uitterlinden,   
         M. Arfan Ikram, Tamar Nijsten, Andre's Ruiz-Linares, Sijia Wang,   
         Susan Walsh, Timothy D.   
      
         Spector, Nicholas G. Martin, Manfred Kayser, Fan Liu. Genome-wide   
         association studies identify DNA variants influencing eyebrow   
         thickness variation in Europeans and across continental   
         populations. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2023; DOI:   
         10.1016/j.jid.2022.11.026   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230605181239.htm   
      
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