Molecular Basis for Hair Loss in Mice Carrying a Novel Nonsense Mutation (Hr^rh-R) in the Hairless Gene (Hr)
 January 2010   
in “
 Veterinary pathology 
”
 
    hairless gene  Hr gene  nonsense mutation  nonsense-mediated decay  hair follicle infundibula  cornified material  keratinocyte differentiation  wound healing  transcriptional corepressor  Myc/Max superfamily  hair follicle stem cell  molecular mechanisms of hair loss  hair follicle  keratinocyte  Myc/Max  stem cell  hair loss   
   
   TLDR  A new mutation in the hairless gene causes hair loss and skin wrinkling in mice.   
  Researchers identified a novel nonsense mutation in the hairless (Hr) gene in mice, termed Hr^rh-R, which caused significant hair loss and skin wrinkling due to reduced Hr mRNA levels from nonsense-mediated decay. Histological analysis showed dilated hair follicle infundibula filled with cornified material by 14 days of age. Gene expression profiling revealed upregulation of genes involved in keratinocyte differentiation and wound healing, indicating a loss of Hr's transcriptional corepressor function. The study suggested Hr's interaction with the Myc/Max superfamily influences hair follicle stem cell fate, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms of hair loss and the role of the Hr gene in hair follicle biology.