1. Academic Validation
  2. Human hair growth deficiency is linked to a genetic defect in the phospholipase gene LIPH

Human hair growth deficiency is linked to a genetic defect in the phospholipase gene LIPH

  • Science. 2006 Nov 10;314(5801):982-5. doi: 10.1126/science.1133276.
Anastasiya Kazantseva 1 Andrey Goltsov Rena Zinchenko Anastasia P Grigorenko Anna V Abrukova Yuri K Moliaka Alexander G Kirillov Zhiru Guo Stephen Lyle Evgeny K Ginter Evgeny I Rogaev
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 303 Belmont Street, Worcester, MA 01604, USA.
Abstract

The molecular mechanisms controlling human hair growth and scalp hair loss are poorly understood. By screening about 350,000 individuals in two populations from the Volga-Ural region of Russia, we identified a gene mutation in families who show an inherited form of hair loss and a hair growth defect. Affected individuals were homozygous for a deletion in the LIPH gene on chromosome 3q27, caused by short interspersed nuclear element-retrotransposon-mediated recombination. The LIPH gene is expressed in hair follicles and encodes a Phospholipase called Lipase H (alternatively known as membrane-associated phosphatidic acid-selective Phospholipase A1alpha), an Enzyme that regulates the production of bioactive lipids. These results suggest that Lipase H participates in hair growth and development.

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