Indian-origin researcher headed the study.
By Dileep Thekkethil
Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding the cause of the greying of hair, which is a concern for most people across the world.
According to a report published in Nature Communications, a team of scientists have pinpointed a gene responsible for greying of hair and this could lead to finding new methods for delaying the greying of hair or even banishing it totally.
Hair greying is a natural process of aging but according to scientists, by manipulating a gene called IRF4, the result could be permanent brown or black hair.
According to the researchers, they collected sample DNA from over 6000 individuals, all from a very “diverse melting pot”, which includes Europeans, Native Americans and Africans.
Scientists say that IRF4 is a gene that is responsible for regulating the natural color of the hair, skin and eye pigment called melanin.
The scientists are of the opinion that the IRF4 gene is located on chromosome six and is one in many genes controlling greying of hair.
Lead author Dr Kaustubh Adhikari, from University College London, said: “We already know several genes involved in balding and hair colour but this is the first time a gene for greying has been identified in humans, as well as other genes influencing hair shape and density.
“It was only possible because we analysed a diverse melting pot of people, which hasn’t been done before on this scale.”
It is already known that the hair gets its color from the pigments produced by a set of cells by the name melanocytes, which are found in the hair follicles.
When a person starts aging, the cell slowly stops producing the pigment and this causes the hair to lose its pristine color and turn grey.
Even though there are many other factors that affect the greying of the hair, some genetic as well as environmental, IRF4 is the first gene of its kind found by scientists and it has a direct implication on hair pigmentation.
Adding to this, the scientists have also found a set of genes linked to monobrows and others linked to beard and eyebrow thickness.
Adhikari said: “The genes we have identified are unlikely to work in isolation to cause greying or straight hair or thick eyebrows, but have a role to play along with many other factors yet to be identified.”