Research Discovered - Male Pattern Hair Loss And Baldness Gene

A good third of the male population suffers from some form of male pattern hair loss or androgenetic alopecia by the age of 45. This is nowhere more evident than the fact that in the US alone, cosmetic hair transplants in 2007 account exceeded $115 million and globally, it accounts for roughly $400 million. Combined with other non-surgical cosmetic solutions that include wigs and topical medication, we’re looking a $10 billion dollar industry attempting to treat baldness worldwide.

It’s long been held in the medical profession that male baldness hereditarily rooted comes from the X chromosomes of our mothers. This is observed in the fact that balding men have uncles and grandfathers on the maternal side also get bald at an early age. Some studies on the subject have pointed to some autosomal genes located on chromosomes 1 to 22 not necessarily on either the X or Y chromosome.

Confirming Genetic Inheritance of Male Baldness

But researchers from Glaxo-Smith-Kline at the McGill University and King’s College in London have discovered some gene variants in Caucasian males responsible for male pattern baldness. Together with colleagues in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Iceland, the genetic team consisted of Dr. Brent Richards from the McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Vincent Mooser of Glaxo-Smith-Kline, and Dr. Tim Spector of King's College.

They identified a couple of previously unknown genes on chromosome number 20 that substantially increased the risk of androgenetic alopecia. The discovery was initially revealed on 1,125 Caucasian males and later confirmed with another specimen of 1,650 Caucasian men.

Knowing the cause is the fist step to getting a cure. This recent research into the genes causing male pattern baldness is considered a medical breakthrough, but its implication in having immediate viable commercial medicinal benefit for the millions afflicted with early male pattern baldness is still far off. It only confirms its genetic heritage and more research on a wider population is planned to further confirm its certainty.

Is A Cure Imminent?

"Early prediction before hair loss starts may lead to some interesting therapies that are more effective than treating late stage hair loss," Dr. Spector, of King's College opined. Indeed, if there’s one benefit from this recent finding, it’s the eventual and more lasting cure for early baldness in men caused by genetic inheritance.

Dr. Spector however cautions that while the study confirms that baldness is inherited and most likely comes from the maternal side, he explains that “there must be several genes causing male pattern baldness. Until now, no one could identify those other genes.”

The team’s discovery is a landmark confirmation that settles most of the questions about premature male pattern alopecia. Quite an enlightening revelation. But with the completion of the Human Genome Project, you may wonder what else is lacking?

The project only mapped out the DNA sequence in a gene, using powerful sequencing computers that would have taken a lifetime to complete. The challenge now lies in interpreting the sequence to figure out what gene does what. And the team was able to do that with the identification of the specific genes that cause the hair disorder.

DNA language is still far from being completely deciphered to understand the complete sequence already mapped out. For sure, it’s just a matter of time when androgenetic alopecia can be cured with a more lasting gene therapy, either before or after its onset.

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