Yay for gray?
While many people go to great lengths to prevent or mask their silver strands, a new study reveals that going gray may play an essential role in fighting off a deadly disease.
Researchers claim that the dreaded, telltale sign of aging could, in fact, reflect a natural defense against cancer.
The study, published in Nature Cell Biology, explores how hair follicle stem cells respond to DNA damage and found a shocking connection between gray hair and melanoma.
Stress from lots of sources, both internal and external, damages our DNA. This damage inevitably leads to aging — and sometimes to cancer.
Our natural color of our hair is determined by melanin, a pigment produced by specialized cells called melanocytes. When our hair turns gray, it is due to the gradual decline of melanocytes in our hair follicles.
Stem cells, however, are unique in that they can self-renew and develop into different cell types and tissues within the body.
Melanocyte stem cells (McSCs) are found in the hair follicle and can differentiate into melanocytes.
Led by researchers from the University of Tokyo, this latest study used mice to see how McSCs respond to different types of DNA damage.
They found that when put under stress, McSCs respond in two ways: differentiate and exit the system — which leads to gray hair — or continue dividing, which could lead to tumor development.
So when your hair is turning gray, it may be a sign that you avoided growing melanoma instead.
“It reframes hair graying and melanoma not as unrelated events, but as divergent outcomes of stem cell stress responses,” co-lead author Professor Emi Nishimura explained in a statement.
Nishimura and his team stressed that these findings do not suggest that gray hair prevents cancer — only that this stress-induced differentiation could guard against harmful cells and, in the process, turn strands to steel.
The team noted that further research is needed to better understand the relationship between skin cancers like melanoma and graying hair.
Melanoma is considered the most dangerous type of skin cancer because of its high potential to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body if not detected and treated early.
Melanoma cells behave differently from other skin cancer cells, quickly spreading to other organs and tissues via the bloodstream and lymphatic system.
The risk of melanoma increases with age. The average age of Americans diagnosed is 66, but it’s one of the most common cancers in people under 30 — especially young women.
Other risk factors include being male, having several moles, a personal or family history of the disease, and a history of blistering sunburns, particularly in childhood. People who spend a lot of time outdoors may also face a higher risk due to increased sun exposure
