LIFESTYLE-MODIFIED GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ACNE IN A SOUTHEAST ASIAN POPULATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65327/bp.v12i3.2550Keywords:
acne vulgaris, genetic susceptibility, gene–environment interaction, screen time, Southeast Asian populationAbstract
Acne vulgaris is a polyetiological inflammatory disease that can be genetically predisposed and act as a response to environmental factors that can be modified. In this study, summary-level data of 4,976 participants, consisting of 2,741 acne cases and 2,235 controls, were used to assess the genetic susceptibility to acne and its modification by lifestyle-related factors in a Southeast Asian population. Replication results for 68 candidate single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) records were analysed along with 544 gene–environment interaction models for 8 lifestyle and environmental factors. Odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, nominal p values, Benjamini–Hochberg false-discovery-rate adjustment and Bonferroni correction were used for evaluation of genetic associations. Ten candidate variants were nominally associated with acne, and rs738409 and rs1159268 were still significant after Bonferroni Correction. Of the interaction analyses, screen usage time yielded the most significant results with 58 nominally significant interactions, 43 interactions surviving the BH-FDR correction, and 7 interactions surviving Bonferroni correction. The corrected associations were weaker for housing type and alcohol intake, and the interactions were not strongly supported by correction for multiple testing with regard to the other factors assessed (fast food intake, milk intake, physical activity, income, and seafood intake). Given these results, lifestyle-related exposures, such as screen usage, could significantly impact, if not completely alter, the expression of genetic susceptibility to acne. The findings suggest a gene–environment model to explain acne heterogeneity and emphasize the need to incorporate behavioral factors in the genetic risk evaluation for acne in the Southeast Asian population.
Downloads
References
Anaba, E. L., & Oaku, I. R. (2021). Adult female acne: A cross-sectional study of diet, family history, body mass index, and premenstrual flare as risk factors and contributors to severity. International Journal of Women's Dermatology, 7(3), 265-269.
Aryanian, Z., Nikjan, A., Heidari, S., Omid, R., Lajevardi, V., Hatami, P., & Babaie, H. (2025). Mediterranean diet adherence and acne vulgaris severity in an Iranian population: a case‐control study. Health Science Reports, 8(9), e71211.
Baldwin, H., & Tan, J. (2021). Effects of Diet on Acne and Its Response to Treatment: H. Baldwin, J. Tan. American journal of clinical dermatology, 22(1), 55-65.
Branisteanu, D. E., Toader, M. P., Porumb, E. A., Serban, I. L., Pinzariu, A. C., Branisteanu, C. I., ... & Nicolescu, A. C. (2022). Adult female acne: Clinical and therapeutic particularities. Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 23(2), 151.
Carmina, E., Dreno, B., Lucky, W. A., Agak, W. G., Dokras, A., Kim, J. J., ... & Dumesic, D. (2022). Female adult acne and androgen excess: a report from the multidisciplinary androgen excess and PCOS committee. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 6(3), bvac003.
Chen, H., Zhang, T. C., Yin, X. L., Man, J. Y., Yang, X. R., & Lu, M. (2022). Magnitude and temporal trend of acne vulgaris burden in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. British Journal of Dermatology, 186(4), 673-683.
Chen, M. H., Ma, L., Chen, L. Q., & Qin, L. (2026). Mediating Effect of Sleep Quality on the Association Between Psychological Stress and Acne Vulgaris in Chinese College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. In Healthcare (Vol. 14, No. 11, p. 1481). MDPI.
Dagnelie, M. A., Poinas, A., & Dréno, B. (2022). What is new in adult acne for the last 2 years: focus on acne pathophysiology and treatments. International Journal of Dermatology, 61(10), 1205-1212.
Del Rosso, J. Q., & Kircik, L. (2024). The primary role of sebum in the pathophysiology of acne vulgaris and its therapeutic relevance in acne management. Journal of Dermatological treatment, 35(1), 2296855.
Dessinioti, C., & Dreno, B. (2026). Diet and acne: Facts and controversies. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
Dreno, B., Dekio, I., Baldwin, H., Demessant, A. L., Dagnelie, M. A., Khammari, A., & Corvec, S. (2024). Acne microbiome: From phyla to phylotypes. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 38(4), 657-664.
He, J., Ning, N., He, S., Chen, L., He, M., Zhu, Y., ... & Li, X. (2026). Association of Lifestyles and Mental Health with adult acne: a population‐based cross‐sectional study. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 40(7), 1258-1269.
Heng, A. H. S., & Chew, F. T. (2020). Systematic review of the epidemiology of acne vulgaris. Scientific reports, 10(1), 5754.
Heng, A. H. S., Say, Y. H., Sio, Y. Y., Ng, Y. T., & Chew, F. T. (2021). Gene variants associated with acne vulgaris presentation and severity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC medical genomics, 14(1), 103.
Heng, A. H. S., Say, Y. H., Sio, Y. Y., Ng, Y. T., & Chew, F. T. (2022). Epidemiological risk factors associated with acne vulgaris presentation, severity, and scarring in a Singapore Chinese population: a cross-sectional study. Dermatology, 238(2), 226-235.
Hu, B. S., Laughter, P. M., Maymone, D. M. B., & Dellavalle, M. R. P. (2022). Holistic dermatology: An evidence-based review of modifiable lifestyle factor associations with dermatologic disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 86(4), 868-877.
Huang, Z., Lim, J. J., Reginald, K., Say, Y. H., & Chew, F. T. (2025). The Singapore/Malaysia cross-sectional genetics epidemiology study: an updated and detailed analysis of acne vulgaris severity, scarring, and phenotypes and their associated risk factors among young Chinese adults. Dermatology, 241(4), 381-395.
Jakubowicz-Zalewska, O., Biełach-Bazyluk, A., Myśliwiec, H., Matwiejuk, M., & Flisiak, I. (2026). Lipid Metabolism, Body Composition, and Diet in Acne Vulgaris: A Narrative Review. Metabolites, 16(7), 466.
Liu, L. (2026a). The statistical data for replication and gene–environment interaction analyses of acne-associated SNPs in the SMCGES cohort (Version 2) [Data set]. Mendeley Data. https://doi.org/10.17632/c39pp47nwy.2
Liu, L., Sio, Y. Y., Cen, D., Wong, J. Y. K., Chen, X., Say, Y. H., ... & Chew, F. T. (2026b). Replication of acne susceptibility loci and gene–environment interactions with screen time in Singapore and Malaysia Chinese population. JID Innovations, 100490.
Meixiong, J., Ricco, C., Vasavda, C., & Ho, B. K. (2022). Diet and acne: A systematic review. JAAD international, 7, 95-112.
Miner, K., Murphy, R., Steiss, S., Burian, M., Welp, H., Loperfito, A., ... & Frasier, K. M. (2025). Lipid dysregulation in sebaceous gland disorders and the impact of sphingolipid metabolism on acne pathogenesis. Cureus, 17(4).
Mitchell, B. L., Saklatvala, J. R., Dand, N., Hagenbeek, F. A., Li, X., Min, J. L., ... & Simpson, M. A. (2022). Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies 29 new acne susceptibility loci. Nature communications, 13(1), 702.
Sachdeva, M., Tan, J., Lim, J., Kim, M., Nadeem, I., & Bismil, R. (2021). The prevalence, risk factors, and psychosocial impacts of acne vulgaris in medical students: a literature review. International journal of dermatology, 60(7), 792-798.
Samaniego, M., Alonso, M., Sohail, N., & Mostaghimi, L. (2025). Sleep disturbances and acne: a comprehensive review. Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, 15(4), e20255530.
Say, Y. H., Heng, A. H. S., Reginald, K., Wong, Y. R., Teh, K. F., Rawanan Shah, S. M., ... & Chew, F. T. (2021). Modifiable and non-modifiable epidemiological risk factors for acne, acne severity and acne scarring among Malaysian Chinese: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 601.
Snyder, A. M., Stone, C. J., Ufkes, N., Greene, T., Playdon, M. C., Murtaugh, M. A., ... & Secrest, A. M. (2025). Lifestyle, medication use, and age considerations with acne vulgaris: A prospective study. JEADV Clinical Practice, 4(1), 82-94.
Taha, S., Shakhshir, M., & Zyoud, S. E. H. (2025). The mediterranean diet and acne vulgaris: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition & Metabolism, 22(1), 132.
Teder-Laving, M., Kals, M., Reigo, A., Ehin, R., Objärtel, T., Vaht, M., ... & Kingo, K. (2024). Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies novel loci conferring risk of acne vulgaris. European Journal of Human Genetics, 32(9), 1136-1143.
Van Steensel, M. A. (2025). The genetics of acne. Annals of human genetics, 89(5), 333-341.
Vasam, M., Korutla, S., & Bohara, R. A. (2023). Acne vulgaris: A review of the pathophysiology, treatment, and recent nanotechnology based advances. Biochemistry and biophysics reports, 36, 101578.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Oyet Aaron, Abodunde Halleluyah Joshua, Mercy Omoo Otakwu, Iyadi Kingsley Chuks, Abdulrahman Aliagan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
