Skin melanin is associated with body temperature regulation in humans and mice

Kale S Bongers; Santiago Tovar; Zanthia Wiley; Michele Sumler; Nina G Jablonski; Adewole S Adamson; Sivasubramanium V Bhavani

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0334735

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Skin melanin is associated with body temperature regulation in humans and mice

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Skin melanin is associated with body temperature regulation in humans and mice

Kale S Bongers, Santiago Tovar, Zanthia Wiley, Michele Sumler, Nina G Jablonski, Adewole S Adamson and Sivasubramanium V Bhavani

PloS one, Vol.20(11), e0334735

11/01/2025

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0334735

PMCID: PMC12594334

PMID: 41202055

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Abstract

Body temperature, a universally measured clinical indicator of physiological equilibrium, guides critical treatment decisions. Multiple studies have observed significant body temperature differences among racial subgroups, with Black patients consistently having higher temperatures than White patients. However, race is a social construct and not a biological category; thus, race alone cannot explain this temperature variability. We hypothesized that skin melanin, which often varies across racial categories, could explain body temperature differences. Here, using a prospectively enrolled human cohort study and a parallel mouse model, we demonstrate that skin melanin is associated with body temperature in humans and mice. In humans, colorimeter-measured melanin index was positively correlated with temperature. Likewise, we found that pigmented mice had higher temperatures than albino mice. Our results reveal that melanin could explain the consistent differences in body temperature observed across socially defined racial groups and suggest a potential role for melanin in thermoregulation.

Adult

Animals

Body Temperature - physiology

Body Temperature Regulation - physiology

Female

Humans

Male

Melanins - metabolism

Mice

Middle Aged

Prospective Studies

Skin - metabolism

Skin Pigmentation

Details

Title: Subtitle: Skin melanin is associated with body temperature regulation in humans and mice
Creators: Kale S Bongers - University of Iowa
Santiago Tovar - Emory University
Zanthia Wiley - Emory University
Michele Sumler - Emory University
Nina G Jablonski - Pennsylvania State University
Adewole S Adamson - Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas
Sivasubramanium V Bhavani - Emory University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: PloS one, Vol.20(11), e0334735
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0334735
PMID: 41202055
PMCID: PMC12594334
NLM abbreviation: PLoS One
ISSN: 1932-6203
eISSN: 1932-6203
Publisher: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
Grant note: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: K08AR083015 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: HL175626 National Institute of General Medical Sciences: K23GM144867
This study is funded by the following grants: R01 R01HL175626 from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (to SVB), K23GM144867 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (to SVB); K08AR083015 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (to KSD).
Language: English
Date published: 11/01/2025
Academic Unit: Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9985024255402771

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