Having black hair is often considered a sign of good health and graying of hair is generally considered a sign of increasing age, but a recent study has revealed that graying of hair can be a sign of the body’s natural defense against cancer. Research conducted at Japan’s Tokyo Medical and Dental University has forced scientists to think. Now let us understand in detail what has come to light in this research.
What does the research say?
Research led by Dr. Emi K Nishimura and published in Nature Cell Biology states that the pigment stem cells that make hair color take two types of decisions when DNA is damaged. Firstly, those cells destroy themselves due to which the hair turns grey, and secondly, they turn towards forming tumors to protect themselves.
These melanocyte stem cells that give color to our hair and skin live at the base of the hair follicles. Researchers have also seen the effect of these cell chemicals and conditions like UV lights which damage DNA. That means hair gets damaged by them.
How was the research done?
When the DNA of these cells was damaged, they stopped reproducing themselves and became dead. And this very process became the cause of graying of hair. From this, scientists concluded that this process is connected to the p53–p21 tumor suppressor pathway, which is a system in the body that protects against diseases like cancer.
However, when the researchers changed the conditions around these cells, the results were reversed. Cells that were exposed to cancer-causing agents or UVB light started cloning themselves instead of dying. This cloning process can later lead to melanoma i.e. skin cancer.
Dr. Nishimura said, ‘Our findings show that the same type of stem cells can move in 2 opposite directions or die out or grow uncontrollably.’
What came out of the study?
Research has forced us to think that diseases like graying of hair and cancer are not completely different from each other. Rather, these are different outcomes of the same stem cell stress response. However, research does not say that having gray hair protects against cancer. In fact, research shows that when cells are damaged, they destroy themselves instead of becoming cancerous.
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