A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore discovers why psoriasis is less prevalent in ethnic Chinese

10 out of 44 genes found only in Caucasians.

Researchers discovered four new genes that render people highly susceptible to psoriasis.

According to a media release by A*STAR, its Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) led an international team of researchers from Singapore, China, USA and Europe to conduct the world’s first large-scale, trans-ethnic, genome-wide analysis of DNA samples taken from Caucasian and Chinese populations for the study on the chronic skin disease, psoriasis. Findings from the study were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

By cross-referencing the sequence of 44 genes that influences psoriasis, which included the four recently discovered genes, between 8682 Caucasians and 5134 ethnic Chinese, the international team led by Prof Jianjun Liu, Deputy Director for Research Programmes and Senior Group Leader of Human Genetics found that 10 out of the 44 genes linked to psoriasis susceptibility were found only in Caucasians and not in ethnic Chinese.

This finding helps to explain why psoriasis is ten times more prevalent in Caucasians than in ethnic Chinese populations.

A*STAR says that the causes of psoriasis are not yet fully understood, but a number of risk factors are recognised as root causes, which include genetic and environmental factors, such as smoking, stress, obesity and alcohol consumption. The study takes some of the guesswork out of identifying the root cause responsible for the prevalence of psoriasis in Caucasian compared to ethnic Chinese populations.