Acute Telogen Effluvium (Hair Loss) Caused by COVID-19

When the body undergoes shock, it neglects the maintenance of  certain parts of the body such as the hair to focus on the root of its shock. Occurrences including nutritional deficiencies, extreme stress, and hormone imbalances are responsible for this. In the instance of the COVID-19 pandemic, our bodies top priority is our respiratory and immune health. This results in our bodies neglecting our integumenrary system, which includes hair. Our hair goes through a cycle of four stages of growth and shedding, otherwise known as the anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen phases. The third stage, telogen, is when old hairs stop growing and begin to shed in order to make room for new growth. Telogen effluvium, existing as either chronic or acute, is a type of hair loss that happens three months after a stressful life event, and can last up to half a year. The difference between normal shedding and telogen effluvium is that one happens regularly in smaller pieces while the other sheds to the point of significant loss of hair volume. The relationship between COVID-19 and acute telogen effluvium was studied in 39 patients who had COVID. A hair pull test was used to diagnose telogen effluvium. It was found that after 2-3 months of having had COVID, more than 50% of these patients were diagnosed with telogen effluvium. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34467470/

Discovered Mutation Influences Genetic Hair Loss

Often in today’s day and age one’s self image of beauty has become more powerful than ever. Unfortunately, due to genetic disease that may influence hair loss, one’s self confidence can be jeopardized overtime. Some of the known diseases causing hair loss are hypotrichosis simplex or androgenic alopecia, otherwise known as male-pattern baldness. Fortunately, a discovery made by researchers at the University Hospital of Bonn in Germany allowed geneticists to take one step closer in cracking the code of all the various genes that may cause hair loss in those affected with hypotrichosis simplex.

    Prior to this discovery it was supposed that a mutation in the APCDD1 gene may be the culprit because such a mutation would interfere with a crucial signaling pathway that plays a role in cell regeneration. Nevertheless, from the research conducted, data indicates that a mutation in the gene which encodes lanosterol synthase (LSS) is actually responsible. Important in cholesterol metabolism, this enzyme impacts the metabolic pathway that regulates the health of hair follicles. After further investigation it was observed that in affected individuals, those with the mutated gene, LSS leaks into the cytosol. However, in those who carry the normal gene, LSS only remains in the endoplasmic reticulum.

    Although the leader of the research team concludes how they are not able to identify the exact reason for hair loss, I feel as if this new piece of information definitely puts scientists on the right track. By making advances in the field hopefully this could lead to forming more effective treatments for this disease. Where the improved treatments countering hair loss could potentially be applied to cancer patients as well.

Resource: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323635.php

New Gene Affecting A Disease Causing Hair Loss

Hypotrichosis simplex is a rare form of hereditary hair loss without other abnormalities.  Affected individuals typically show normal hair at birth, but experience hair loss and thinning of the hair shaft that starts during early childhood and progresses with age.  Hypotrichosis simplex can be divided into 2 forms: the scalp-limited form and the generalized form, in which all body hair is affected.  The progressive thinning of the hair shaft is a typical feature of androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both men and women.  Hypotrichosis simplex can be inherited either as an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive trait.  To date, there is no treatment for this condition.

Currently, few genes have been known that casually correlate to the disease.  However, a group of German and Swiss researchers, under the Institute of Human Genetics of the University Hospital of Bonn, have recently learned of an additional gene contributing to this hair loss disease.  After studying three ancestrally different families, the individuals affected with hair loss symptoms were found to have mutations for a gene encoding for lanosterol synthase (LSS).  This enzyme has a responsibility involved in cholesterol metabolism.  A mutated LSS gene causes an alternative metabolic pathway for cholesterol, playing an important role in the hair follicle.

LSS enzymes are found in the hair follicle cells, in which the hair roots develop in the follicle.  A normal LSS gene has the enzymes situated in a system of very fine channels in the follicle cells, the endoplasmic reticulum.  A mutated LSS gene situates the enzymes in the endoplasmic reticulum, but it also has the enzymes outside into the cytosol as well.  This causes a malfunction leading to hair falling out.

Of course, much more work is still left to be done and there are still a lot unknown to us about this disease and its why’s and how’s, in my opinion.  But I think this study is an important step and there is now one less gene to be decoded to solve and complete this puzzle for the biological basis of this disease.  Ultimately, the goal is to find ways to treat hypotrichosis simplex and prevent abnormal hair loss, whether it be just one way or other ways.  And a way to reach that goal is by improving the diagnosis of this rare disease find the contributors.

For additional information, refer to the original article.

For additional information, click the link of the journal from the American Journal of Human Genetics.