Japanese map of the earwax gene frequency: a nationwide collaborative study by Super Science High School Consortium

,

doi:10.1038/jhg.2009.62

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The wet variety of earwax has complete autosomal dominance over the dry type. In this regard, Japan is unique in that only 12% of individuals have wet earwax [6]. Hence, it is noteworthy that half of the Japanese patients with HS in the present study were found to have wet earwax.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…Wet earwax is a normal secretory product of the ceruminous apocrine glands, whereas dry earwax forms due to a genetically reduced number of apocrine glands [6,7]. A single-nucleotide polymorphism, 538G>A in the ABCC11 gene, determines the type of earwax that an individual produce [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, dry earwax is highly specific to East Asian populations, with a frequency of 80%–95% [7,8]. Only 12% of Japanese individuals produce wet earwax [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Earwax of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A retrospective study

et al. 2019

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BackgroundIn Western nations, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) typically affects the apocrine gland-bearing skin of people of African origin, women, smokers, and individuals with obesity. The clinical characteristics of HS in Korea and Japan, however, are reportedly different from those in the West. We therefore hypothesized that wet earwax is associated with HS because most East Asian people are genetically predisposed to produce dry earwax.MethodsThe medical charts of 53 Japanese patients with HS were reviewed retrospectively.ResultsUnlike the results of surveys conducted in Western nations, most of our patients were men (72%), whose buttocks were the most commonly affected site. Apocrine gland-bearing areas, such as the axilla, were affected less often. The proportion of HS patients with wet earwax was 51%, which was substantially higher than that found in the general Japanese population. Moreover, when patients with gluteal HS were excluded, the proportion of patients with wet earwax became even higher (68%).ConclusionsAlthough the etiology of HS is unknown, our survey indicated that HS in apocrine gland-bearing skin, such as the axillary and anogenital areas, may be associated with wet earwax. As this study was conducted in a limited clinical setting, a nationwide, multicenter survey is warranted to clarify the clinical characteristics of HS in Japan.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Earwax of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A retrospective study

et al. 2019

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“…To analyze the nationwide allele frequency, the Super Science High School (SSH) consortium collected a total of 1963 fingernail samples of pupils/students from at least one high school/university in every prefecture in Japan (Super Science High School Consortium, 2009). Although the 538G allele frequency varied among the 47 prefectures, the Gifu/Kyoto and Okinawa prefectures showed the lowest and highest values for the 538G allele, respectively.…”

Section: Routes Of the Japanese Populationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pharmacogenetics of human ABC transporter ABCC11: new insights into apocrine gland growth and metabolite secretion

Ishikawa¹,

Toyoda²,

Yoshiura³

et al. 2013

Front. Gene.

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Cell secretion is an important physiological process that ensures smooth metabolic activities and tissue repair as well as growth and immunological functions in the body. Apocrine secretion occurs when the secretory process is accomplished with a partial loss of cell cytoplasm. The secretory materials are contained within secretory vesicles and are released during secretion as cytoplasmic fragments into the glandular lumen or interstitial space. The recent finding that the non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) 538G > A (rs17822931; Gly180Arg) in the ABCC11 gene determines the type of earwax in humans has shed light on the novel function of this ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter in apocrine glands. The wild-type (Gly180) of ABCC11 is associated with wet-type earwax, axillary osmidrosis, and colostrum secretion from the mammary gland as well as the potential risk of mastopathy. Furthermore, the SNP (538G > A) in the ABCC11 gene is suggested to be a clinical biomarker for the prediction of chemotherapeutic efficacy. The aim of this review article is to provide an overview on the discovery and characterization of genetic polymorphisms in the human ABCC11 gene and to explain the impact of ABCC11 538G > A on the apocrine phenotype as well as the anthropological aspect of this SNP in the ABCC11 gene and patients’ response to nucleoside-based chemotherapy.

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“…Axillary osmidrosis is a common problem in Asian societies, where people afflicted with such a malodor are shunned and considered to have a serious personal problem. Wet earwax, which has a strong relationship with osmidrosis, has a prevalence of 5–20% in East Asia and 97% in Europe or Africa [ 1 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of 33 MHz ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography for the evaluation of sweat glands in the axilla with osmidrosis

Shinaoka

Nakahara

Saeki³

2021

PLoS ONE

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Background This study aimed to assess the use of 33 MHz ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography (33MHz-UHFUS) for evaluating axillary sweat glands with osmidrosis in comparison with histological techniques. Axillary osmidrosis is a common problem in Asian societies, and the number and size of apocrine sweat glands have a strong relationship with osmidrosis severity. Currently, there are no methods to evaluate sweat gland distribution non-invasively. Methods In this study, 35 skin specimens from 10 fresh human cadavers without osmidrosis and retrospective ultrasonographic images from 20 patients with osmidrosis were used. Skin specimens were embedded in paraffin, thinly sliced, and finally stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Histologically, the apocrine and eccrine glands were evaluated, and the top and bottom depths of follicles were measured from the skin surface. In 33 MHz ultrasonography images, the depths of sweat glands were measured, and the mean grey value was calculated using Image J. Results Compared to histological data, 33MHz-UHFUS could be used to identify sweat glands as a hyperechoic structure between the dermis and fat layer. Furthermore, it could evaluate sweat gland distribution but could not distinguish between types of sweat glands. Conclusions The distribution of sweat glands in the axilla can be non-invasively evaluated via 33MHz-UHFUS.

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Japanese map of the earwax gene frequency: a nationwide collaborative study by Super Science High School Consortium

Cited by 10 publications

References 14 publications

Earwax of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A retrospective study

Earwax of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A retrospective study

Pharmacogenetics of human ABC transporter ABCC11: new insights into apocrine gland growth and metabolite secretion

The use of 33 MHz ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography for the evaluation of sweat glands in the axilla with osmidrosis

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