Skin Pigmentation Diversity in Central East Indian Populations and its Correlation with Mitochondrial Haplogroups

Indian subcontinent represents 1/6 of total world population. India is well known for its cultural, social and ecological diversity. It is also one of the most genetically diverse geographical regions, which consists of 4,635 anthropologically well-defined groups, who were following endogamy marriage practices from thousands of years [1-3].

Geographical regions of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet (China), Afghanistan and Pakistan constitute together the Indian subcontinent regions. Indian subcontinent also referred as South Asian region and encompasses the highest genetic diversity after Africa. This is because, during the out of Africa migration of Homo sapiens, the Indian subcontinent has acted as an incubator for populations, who then spread and colonized the world [1-3]. Being the central of these countries, India is considered as a major corridor for the dispersal of modern human [1-3]. It has been studied that Indian populations largely constitute the same gene pool [2-5].

In population genetic studies, we study several populations based on their genetic characteristics. Here we study the DNA marker based on mitochondrial Hyper Variable Region (HVR). We study mitochondrial markers to find out genetic diversity and evolutionary process among populations [6]. Indian population is complex in terms of diversity of languages affiliation, ancestry and various other phenotype parameters [1,2]. Human genetics and environment plays together for shaping skin pigmentation variations. Whatever huge pigmentation variation we observed across the world, is largely shaped by different levels of UV radiations [7]. Pigmentation studies were helpful in understanding the evolutionary processes. Study shows that role of melanin is very important in pigmentation variation, where it is performing dual role and make delicate balance between the skin being light enough at low UVR zones (to allow sufficient production of vitamin D) and dark enough at high UVR zones (for protection against sun burn and degradation of folate) [8-10]. Any imbalance between these dual procedures would have wide-range of effects on human health (reproductive fitness, skin cancer, anaemia, fetal abnormalities, spermatogenesis, rickets and vitamin D deficiency) [9].

There were several pigmentation studies revealing association with pigmentation candidate gene in South Asia and they have approved the act of natural selection process of human populations [7-12]. Previous report, observed the significant association with rs1426654, with skin pigmentation in populations living specifically in India [8]. Recent study on same region (middle gangetic regions of central east part of India) had well established the association with pigmentation diversity and the populations [13,14]. The central east region of India is one of the most fertile and densely populated regions (http://www.censusindia.gov.in). This region represents more than hundreds ethnic groups and considered as a one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world [15]. The central east populations were living in one of the oldest and continuously habituated regions of India. These populations further explore and spread to various parts of India. Traditionally these populations were divided into various casts depending on old Hindu mythology. Religiously Muslim populations were also present dominantly in same region. Various subjects were categorized based on their specific cast and described as cast populations due to presence of endogamy pattern. Cast populations were also based on traditional Indian system of “work based population groups” or more specifically “Chaturvarna”, which included Brahmins (practices teaching and religious rites), Kshatriyas (warriors or defendants), Vaishyas (traders, artisans) and Shudras (smaller activities). Further these casts were divided among sub casts or region specific population groups and identified by their surnames or gotras (ancestor name). They maintain their unique socio-cultural identity due to strict endogamy, specific rituals and marriage practices, which provide genetic differentiation due to isolation or specific environment due to passage of time. Additionally, regional and social effect also play key role in shaping regional sub cast populations, which makes ultimately cast system more complicated. Currently, various cast populations were further politically divided in to General (GN), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). This division was according to socioeconomic status of various casts of the society by the Constitution of India. In the present study, we have analyzed the data based on above broad category, which gives general implication of social cast system of India. Since, evolutionary background of many populations is still not clear so, we have discussed in brief about evolutionary background of some important populations based on their phenotype and mtDNA study. It was interesting to observe highly diverse skin pigmentation and wide presence of major Mitochondrial haplogroups (MT-haplogroup) in central east populations. In the present study, we want to, explore the relation of pigmentation and genetic diversity of central-east Indian cast populations.

Sample details and their phenotype data collection

Figure 2: Geographical region of study in Indian region. Total 1078 subject of17 populations were used for study (http://wiienvis.nic.in).

Diversity of skin pigmentation

Figure 3: Box plot to represent the distribution of melanin index in different social categories of Central East Indian cast populations in cohort 1. Total 1078 subjects of 17 populations were used for study.

Table 4: Genotype-phenotype database of central-east Indian cast populations also referred as cohort 2. Cast populations were defined in terms of average Melanin Index (MeI), social categories and geographical states of India. Total 184 subjects of 17 populations were used for study. (GN- General; OBC-Other Backward Class; SC-Schedule Cast).

In conclusion, we found high pigmentation and mitochondrial haplogroup diversity in central East Indian populations. Although, pigmentation is significantly different among social categories, we did not find any significant influence on major MT-haplogroup.

Sheikh Nizamuddin was supported by ICMR-Senior Research fellowship program. Anshuman Mishra acknowledges the financial support of “DBT-RA program P90806” of Department of Biotechnology, India; UGC-SRF fellowship and contingency grant of BHU, India and “2016 Post-Doc. Development Program” of Pusan National University, South Korea. Study group acknowledges Rakesh Narayan Dubey (Prasad Intermediate College, Varanasi), Dhruva Narayan Dubey (Bhartiya Vidya Adhyan Kendra, Varanasi), Ashutosh Narayan Mishra (Bhopal) for all kind of help and arrangements. Special Thanks to Genome Foundation, Hyderabad for sequencing facility and Professor Martha Mizoran Lahr (University of Cambridge) for derma spectrophotometer instruments.

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figure 5: Schematic presentation of Mitochondria inheritance pattern in biological cell (source: dr.mishra@zmail.com).

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