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 ==========================================================================
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
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========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Elsevier. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== 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 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230605181239.htm

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