Positive Association Between Vitamin D Serum Levels and Naevus Counts

Lower vitamin D serum levels are linked to increased
melanoma risk and poorer survival. Naevus counts are
associated with both melanoma risk and survival and
to leucocyte telomere length. Vitamin D is also linked
to telomere biology with higher levels of vitamin D in
individuals with longer leucocyte telomere length despite
adjusting for age. Using the TwinsUK data, we
explored the association between naevus count, leucocyte
telomere length and vitamin D serum levels.
Increasing vitamin D levels were associated with increasing
naevus count: serum levels were 73.3 nmol/l
in individuals with less than 50 naevi compared to
78.8 nmol/l in individuals with more than 50 naevi
(p= 0.002). In the final regression model, using naevus
count as a continuous variable, vitamin D remained
associated with higher naevus counts despite adjustment
for age, weight, height, season of sampling
and twin relatedness (p=0.02). Further adjustment
for leucocyte telomere length, decreased the magnitude
of the association but it remained significant so
leucocyte telomere length is not the sole driver of this
association. Having large numbers of naevi is associated
with higher vitamin D serum levels.