English scientists have discovered that changes in two parts of the genome work together to influence the risk of hair loss.
- English researchers have identified specific genetic differences that interact with ERAP1 and increase the risk of frontal fibrosing alopecia.
- This gene-Gène interaction, which is rare but already observed for psoriasis for example, means that the risk associated with a gene is modified by another gene.
- From now on, scientists are studying the possibility of a genetic test to predict this condition.
Frontal fibrosing alopecia is an inflammatory and scar -haired hair loss form of increasing prevalence that most often affects women. “Indeed, since the disease was described in 1994, the number of affected people increased spectacularly”, said Christos Tziotzioslecturer at the St John’s Dermatology Institute of King’s College in London. To be able to treat it effectively, it is necessary to better understand the genetic basis of the affection and identify the pathogenic mechanisms in order to target them. This is why the researcher and his team conducted a study published in the journal Jama Dermatology. As part of the work, they wanted to identify new genomic locations in which a common genetic variation affects sensitivity to frontal fibrosing alopecia. For this, they reviewed four research including 6,668 European women. Among them, 1,585 people had frontal fibrosing alopecia and 5,083 were witness patients.
Alopecia: specific genetic differences that interact with erap1
By examining a group of immune genes, known as the “major histocompatibility complex”, which helps the immune system to recognize foreign substances, the authors have identified specific genetic differences which increase the risk of frontal fibrotic alopecia. “Significant associations on the genome scale have been identified on 4 genomic locations, including a new susceptibility locus at the 5q15 level, and the association signal has been accurately mapped on a single nucleotide substitution in the region of ERAP1 “can we read in the results. This gene-Gène interaction is a rare phenomenon in human genetics, known as “epistasy”. This means that the risk associated with a gene is modified by another gene. Different versions of the two genes involved in this interaction have been observed in other autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis and ankylosing spondylitis.
Towards a genetic test to predict the risk of fibrotizing frontal alopecia?
Currently, scientists are studying the possibility of a predictive genetic test for the risk of fibrotizing frontal alopecia, while exploring the Tarp1 targeting potential with specific drugs as a new means of treating this disease. “This research is a big step forward in understanding fibrosing frontal alopecia and reasons why some people are more at risk. It is a disease that can be incredibly painful, and discover how genes interact to influence this risk could help us develop in better ways to predict it and treat it in the future “, said Phil Brady, director of the British Skin Foundation.
