Filaggrin Gene Mutations and Risk of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is prevalent in lightly-pigmented Europeans. While ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an important risk factor, genetic predispositions to BCC have also been identified (1) . Atopic dermatitis (AD), a condition with a heritability that reaches 71-84%, might increase the risk of BCC (2) . Loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin gene (FLG) are observed in approximately 10% of Northern Europeans and are strongly associated with AD (3) . FLG mutations lead to reduced epidermal filaggrin protein and metabolite levels, including the chromophore trans-urocanic acid (UCA) (4) . Mice with knockdown of filaggrin, or lack of functional histidase, show decreased epidermal trans-UCA levels and increased UVB-induced skin damage (5) . FLG mutation carriers also have 10% increased serum vitamin D levels suggesting increased penetration of UVB (6) . We evaluated the prevalence of FLG mutations in a cohort of patients with BCC compared to a control group from the general population in Denmark to evaluate whether FLG mutations increase the risk of BCC. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.