Changes in the Molecular Structure of Hair in Insulin-Dependent Diabetes

The study revealed that insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) caused distinct changes in the molecular structure of α-keratin in hair, observed in both human subjects and baboons with induced diabetes. These changes were identified using low-angle synchrotron X-ray diffraction and were explained by a hexagonally packed model for keratin. The modifications were located in the labile structure of the matrix at intermediate filament linkage sites, suggesting that the changes were endogenous and occurred via the blood during follicle development. The consistent nature of these changes indicated that hair could serve as an accessible tissue for studying how hyperglycemia affects extracellular matrix materials, potentially leading to diabetic complications.