Blessed with double lashes? Or is it eyeliner?
Elizabeth Taylor was famous for her beautiful eyes, which were made even more striking by her thick eyelashes. She had a double row of lashes, which is likely due to a genetic mutation in the FOXC2 gene.Â
A double row of dark lashes gives someone the natural look of wearing eyeliner.
FOXC2 is a transcription factor that turns on genes during development - including the development of the eyelashes. But... there's also a potentially serious downside to this mutation. I'll let you read the article to find out.Â
Researchers have known for decades that regular aspirin use is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer in epidemiologic studies. However, there is also a risk of increased bleeding with aspirin, so it's not currently recommended for colon cancer prevention alone.
Genetic studies, however, have identified several genetic variants associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer with low-dose aspirin use. If you are concerned about your personal risk of colon cancer (due to family history or perhaps diet), then understanding whether you are genetically more likely to benefit from aspirin may help you decide on prevention strategies. Genes are only one consideration here, and I suggest you talk to your doctor if you have questions about whether regular aspirin use is right for you.
What members are saying...
I so appreciate all the Genetic Lifehacks reviews that members have posted on the site and on Trust Pilot. Here's one from last week that nails it as to what Genetic Lifehacks is about:Â
"I am a 53-year-old woman who has been a member of Genetic Lifehacks for over four years. Quite honestly, it's changed my life. Having an accessible yet highly reputable source of scientific information tailored to my genetic data has given me the power to take control of my health and do what I can to minimize my risk of developing the diseases that have plagued my ancestors for generations. I can't recommend this site highly enough."
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What I've been reading:
1) Variant in CCDC201 causes primary ovarian insufficiency.
This study explains a newly discovered variant that significantly increases the risk of early menopause and primary ovarian insufficiency. The variant is found in about 1% of people. For women with two copies of the variant, menopause occurs on average about 9 years earlier due to POI. The variant listed in the paper isn't included in 23andMe or AncestryDNA data, but if you have a full genome sequencing or another data source, you could check it.
2)Â Fibrin drives thromboinflammation and neuropathology in COVID-19
This new study explains how fibrin binds to the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2: "forming proinflammatory blood clots that drive systemic thromboinflammation and neuropathology in COVID-19". The study goes on to explain: "Fibrin, acting through its inflammatory domain, is required for oxidative stress and macrophage activation in the lungs, whereas it suppresses natural killer cells, after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fibrin promotes neuroinflammation and neuronal loss after infection, as well as innate immune activation in the brain and lungs independently of active infection."
   Related GL article: Elevated Fibrinogen (Genetics plays a fairly big role in fibrinogen and fibrin levels.)
3.) Protein linked to salt intake may be important in MS
A new study shows that dysfunctional Treg cells in autoimmune diseases may be due to PRDM1-S, which is a protein triggered by high salt intake.
(This is an interesting study that I'm not sure I completely understand yet. I've got it on my list to come back to it and dig further into the role of salt intake and its influence on immune cell response.)
4) Â Blood biomarkers for ME/CFS
This preprint study looks at the biomarkers that are altered in people with ME/CFS and explores whether the alterations are due to inactivity. Essentially, it's looking at whether inactivity causes the changes in ME, or whether ME causes physical changes that then lead to an inability to tolerate activity. The study involved more than 1,400 ME/CFS cases compared to a control group of more than 100,000 healthy people. The results showed that the blood biomarker changes in people with ME/CFS were largely not due to inactivity. What struck me was that there were a lot of statistically significant altered blood biomarkers in the ME patients - from liver biomarkers to changes in lipid levels to changes in immune cells.
Graphical overviews for the new article (for all the visual learners):Â
You amaze me. :)