TLDR The mutated hairless gene causes hair loss by acting as a new type of corepressor affecting thyroid hormone receptors.
The study revealed that the mammalian hairless (hr) gene, crucial for hair growth maintenance, encoded a protein (Hr) functioning as a transcriptional corepressor for thyroid hormone receptors (TRs). Hr interacted with TRs through two independent regions, utilizing hydrophobic residues similar to those in known nuclear receptor corepressors. It also associated with histone deacetylases (HDACs) and localized to matrix-associated deacetylase bodies, suggesting repression through HDAC activity. Despite lacking sequence identity with other corepressors, Hr's action was conserved, indicating it as a new class of nuclear receptor corepressors with specialized roles. This discovery provided a molecular basis for specific hair loss syndromes in humans and mice.
47 citations
,
April 2000 in “Experimental Dermatology” A new gene mutation causes a rare type of hair loss.
66 citations
,
December 1999 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” New mutations in the hairless gene may cause hair loss and affect bone development.
52 citations
,
October 1999 in “Developmental Dynamics” Mutations in the hairless gene in mice affect its expression and lead to a range of developmental issues in multiple tissues.
166 citations
,
July 1999 in “American Journal Of Pathology” 126 citations
,
October 1998 in “Experimental Dermatology” The hr gene is crucial for skin and hair health, with mutations causing hair disorders.
412 citations
,
January 1998 in “Science” A mutation in the human hairless gene causes alopecia universalis.
89 citations
,
September 2010 in “Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics” The document concludes that understanding the genes and pathways involved in hair growth is crucial for developing treatments for hair diseases.
30 citations
,
January 2009 in “Nuclear Receptor Signaling” Hairless protein is crucial for healthy skin and hair, and its malfunction can cause hair loss.
74 citations
,
September 2006 in “Cell Cycle” The HR protein's role as a repressor is essential for controlling hair growth.
7 citations
,
December 2015 in “International Journal of Dermatology” New and known mutations in the hairless gene cause a hair loss condition called Atrichia with papular lesions.
78 citations
,
November 2005 in “Endocrinology” Hairless protein can block vitamin D activation in skin cells.
