New paper from Dr. Preti: from genes to axillae

Genetic influences on human body odor: from genes to the axillae.

Preti G, Leyden JJ.
Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.

Comment on:

* J Invest Dermatol. 2010 Feb;130(2):529-40.

Several groups have identified the characteristic axillary odorants and how they arrive on the skin surface, pre-formed, bound to water-soluble odorless precursors in apocrine secretions. In the current issue, Martin et al., (2010) describe the relationship between the production of axillary odorants and variants in the ABCC11 gene. Individuals who are homozygotic for a SNP (538G>A) were found to have significantly less of the characteristic axillary odorants than either individuals who were heterozygotic for this change or those who had the wild-type gene. The 538G>A SNP predominates in Asians who have nearly complete loss of typical body odor. ABCC11 is expressed and localized in apocrine sweat glands. These findings are remarkably similar to the ethnic distribution and expression patterns for apocrine apoD, a previously identified carrier of a characteristic axillary odorant.

ABCC11 gene and body odor : Abstract on pubmed

Dr George Preti of the Monell Chemical Senses Center along with another researcher, JJ Leyden, have just released a medical paper about armpit body odor. They mention how recent research has demonstrated that a variant of the ABCC11 gene common amongst some Asians seems to indicate that they will produce naturally less known underarm odors if they are homozygous for the variant SNP (538G>A). Those who are heterozygous for the variant, or have the wild type, produce normal amounts of the odors. This variant is associated with people who tend to have a dry brittle grayish earwax.

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Related links
Gene ABCC11 is expressed and localized in apocrine sweat glands.
Ear wax, body odor, and ABCC11 gene
A strong association of axillary osmidrosis with the wet earwax type determined by genotyping of the ABCC11 gene