Hair shape susceptibility gene

摘要

A genetic polymorphism and a hair shape susceptibility gene that are related to hair shape, and a method for determining the genetic susceptibility to hair shape in individual test subjects are provided. Disclosed is a hair shape susceptibility gene, which overlaps with a haplotype block in the 1q32.1 to 1q32.2 region (D1S249 to D1S2891) of human chromosome 1 and comprises a portion or the entirety of the base sequence of the haplotype block, wherein the haplotype block is determined by a linkage disequilibrium analysis conducted on a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker whose allele frequency differs statistically significantly between a group having a curly hair trait and a group having a non-curly hair trait, and consists of a base sequence set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to NO:3.

主权项

1. A method for evaluating or selecting a hair shape regulating agent, comprising the following steps (a) to (f):
(a) culturing cells in the presence of a test substance, wherein the cells are capable of expressing a human CSRP1 gene, or a protein encoded by the gene, and wherein the cells are selected from the group consisting of epidermal keratinocytes, human hair follicle tissue cells and hair root area-derived cells; (b) measuring the amount of expression of the CSRP1 gene or the protein in the cells that were cultured in the presence of the test substance; (c) selecting, based on the results of step (b), a test substance that decreases or increases the amount of expression of the gene or the protein, as compared to that in control cells cultured in the absence of the test substance; (d) culturing a human hair follicle in organ culture in the presence of the test substance that is selected in step (c); (e) determining the degree of curl of the hair follicle's hair shaft that occurs as a result of the culturing as compared to that of the hair shaft of a control hair follicle that is cultured in the absence of the test substance; and (f) selecting a test substance from step (e) that both (i) increases or decreases the amount of expression of the gene or the protein in step (c) and (ii) alters the degree of curl of the hair follicle's hair shaft in step (e), as a hair shape regulating agent; wherein a test substance that increases the amount of expression and curl is selected as a hair curling agent and a substance that decreases the amount of expression and curl is selected as a hair straightening agent.