Interaction Between Genes and The Environment in Skin Aging

Similar to other organs, skin ages with the passage of time. Skin aging is influenced both by inherited intrinsic factors and by extrinsic or environmental factors. Intrinsic aging is an ineluctable process and is due to the genetically determined natural degeneration of the cell function and loss of extracellular matrix with age. The skin aging exposome is defined as the totality of environmental factors contributing to extrinsic skin aging, including natural sunlight as well as different types of air pollution, cigarette smoke, etc. The genetic and environmental factors associated with skin aging have been thoroughly investigated. The chronic sun exposure is associated with clinical hallmarks of skin aging and increasing evidence points to a role of air pollution in skin aging. A recent review counted 44 genome wide association studies on skin aging mainly on sagging, wrinkles, and lentigines revealing relevant genes.

Even if the genetic factors of skin aging have been intensively investigated in the last years, the interaction of genes with the environmental factors remains not very well understood and to date there is only one preliminary study on gene and/or environment interactions for extrinsic skin aging. The investigation of the gene-environment (GxE) field could bring a better understanding of the biology, explanation of missing heritability and improve the development of personalized treatment. The main obstacles in gene-environment interaction analyses are mainly the statistical power and availability of environment exposure of patients. Recent developments in bioinformatics bring new strategies to investigate GxE and could allow us to tackle the interaction between skin aging and genetics.

We welcome the submissions of original research and review articles that focus on the following aspects, but are not limited to:

• Genetics of skin aging
• Environmental factors and skin aging
• Interaction of gene x environment in skin aging
• Identification of sub-group patients for personalized treatments
• Reversing skin aging

Keywords: skin aging, genomics, GWAS, gene, environment, interaction

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