News in Brief
June 2010
in “
Expert Review of Dermatology
”
TLDR Scientists found key proteins and genes that affect skin and hair health, and identified potential new treatments for hair loss, skin disorders, and wound healing.
A study has discovered that the TRPV3 protein is important for skin health and hair growth, with implications for treating hair growth disorders and skin cancers. TRPV3-deficient mice had wavy hair and thinner skin, and the protein interacts with TGF-α and EGFR, which are linked to hair and skin issues. Another research identified a genetic association with systemic sclerosis (SSc) by analyzing 2,296 SSc patients and 5,171 controls, and confirming the findings in 2,753 SSc patients and 4,569 controls, pinpointing the CD247 region as a new susceptibility locus. A different study found a mutation in the APCDD1 gene that causes hereditary hypotrichosis simplex, a type of hair loss, which is related to the Wnt signaling pathway and may lead to new hair loss treatments. Research also found genetic associations between generalized vitiligo and multiple genes, including TYR, suggesting a link between vitiligo and melanoma. A potential acne treatment using lauric-acid nano-bombs targeting Propionibacterium acnes was presented, and a study indicated that NKT cells could slow wound healing, offering a new therapeutic target for improving wound healing.
