Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling Controls Hair Pigmentation Through Cross-Talk With the Melanocortin Receptor-1 Pathway

The study investigated the role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in hair pigmentation and its interaction with the melanocortin receptor-1 (MC-1R) pathway using K5-Noggin transgenic mice. These mice, which overexpress the BMP antagonist noggin, exhibited darker dorsal hairs due to increased eumelanin content and decreased Agouti signal protein (ASP) expression. The research demonstrated that BMP signaling positively regulated ASP expression and suggested a cross-talk between BMP and MC-1R pathways in controlling hair pigmentation. The findings highlighted the complex molecular interactions involved in hair color regulation, with implications for understanding pigmentation disorders.