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IRX3

Is There a Relationship Between Body Weight & Melanoma? (IRX3)

Written by Jasmine Foster, BSc, BEd on January 11th, 2021

A variant that alters the expression of both IRX3 & FTO has been associated with melanoma. Where does this connection come from? Read on to learn more.

Summary

IRX3 encodes Iroquois homeobox 3. Variants of IRX3 may play a role in melanoma by disrupting tumor suppressor activities. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by directly increasing IRX3 or addressing downstream effects of low IRX3 levels.

IRX3 and Melanoma

The IRX3 gene encodes Iroquois homeobox 3, a protein known mainly for its role in the development of the nervous system [R].

Some research suggests that IRX3 may prevent the development of tumor cells. In one study of women who underwent surgery for breast cancer, those who died within 5 years after the surgery had significantly lower IRX3 expression compared to those who survived for longer. The mechanism for this protective effect is unknown [R, R].

One variant in IRX3 has been associated with relative incidence of melanoma. Oddly, this variant also alters the expression of FTO, a gene that regulates weight gain and strongly affects susceptibility to obesity [R, R].

Researchers have investigated whether the FTO gene might have a functional effect on melanoma. However, there is no obvious reason that a gene known for affecting weight gain would also affect melanoma [R].

A variant that alters the expression of both IRX3 and FTO has been associated with melanoma, though its exact mechanism of effect is unknown.

Your IRX3 Results for Melanoma

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs16953002

IRX3 rs16953002 [R]

‘G’ = Associated with relatively lower rates of melanoma
‘A’ = Associated with relatively higher rates of melanoma
The ‘A’ allele may reduce IRX3 activity, leading to increased rates of tumour cell development [R, R].

Recommendations

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Both FTO and IRX3 have been implicated in weight gain and obesity. Furthermore, IRX3 gene expression increased in overweight teenagers undergoing an intensive weight loss program of diet and exercise. This result suggests that diet and exercise changes aimed at reaching and maintaining a healthy weight may also benefit IRX3 expression [R, R].

Being obese or overweight was associated with an increased risk of melanoma in 21 studies of almost 25,000 men [R, R, R].

Weight loss may also help improve the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs for melanoma, as seen in a study in mice [R].

Weight management strategies may increase IRX3 and reduce the incidence of melanoma.

Vitamin D

People with certain variants that affect both the FTO and IRX3 genes may be more susceptible to the damaging effects of vitamin D deficiency. Thus, if you have detrimental alleles at IRX3, you should be extra careful to ensure that you get enough vitamin D [R].

Research has found no association between blood vitamin D levels and risk of melanoma, but deficiency in this vitamin predicted a poorer outcome in 2 studies of over 1000 people with melanoma. In a placebo-controlled trial of over 3k women, supplementation with vitamin D and calcium reduced the incidence of melanoma in those with a history of other skin cancer types [R, R, R, R, R].

People with detrimental variants in the IRX3 gene may be more susceptible to the damaging effects of vitamin D deficiency, which has also been linked to worse outcomes in melanoma patients.

Jasmine Foster

BSc, BEd

Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.

Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

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Is There a Relationship Between Body Weight & Melanoma? (IRX3)

Summary

IRX3 and Melanoma

Your IRX3 Results for Melanoma

SNP Table

Recommendations

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Vitamin D

Disclaimer

More skin & beauty blogs

More cancer blogs

Content

Unlock Personalized Results And So Much More!

Essential Bundle

Essential

Bundle

Limited time offer 25% off

Ultimate Bundle

Policies

About

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