CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION The genetics of hair shaft disorders Amy S. Cheng, MD, a and Susan J. Bayliss, MD b,c Saint Louis, Missouri Many of the genes causing hair shaft defects have recently been elucidated. This continuing medical education article discusses the major types of hair shaft defects and associated syndromes and includes a review of histologic features, diagnostic modalities, and findings in the field of genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Although genetic hair shaft abnormalities are uncommon in general dermatology practice, new information about genetic causes has allowed for a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiologies. ( J Am Acad Dermatol 2008;59:1-22.) Learning objective: At the conclusion of this article, the reader should be familiar with the clinical presentation and histologic characteristics of hair shaft defects and associated genetic diseases. The reader should be able to recognize disorders with hair shaft abnormalities, conduct appropriate referrals and order appropriate tests in disease evaluation, and select the best treatment or supportive care for patients with hair shaft defects. EVALUATION OF THE HAIR For the student of hair abnormalities, a full review of microscopic findings and basic anatomy can be found in the textbook Disorders of Hair Growth by Elise Olsen, 1 especially the chapter on ‘‘Hair Shaft Disorders’’ by David Whiting, which offers a thor- ough review of the subject. 1 The recognition of the anatomic characteristics of normal hair and the effects of environmental factors are important when evalu- ating a patient for hair abnormalities. The normal hair cycle of anagen, catagen, and telogen is important in the foundational knowledge of hair, as is the micro- scopic structure of the hair shaft (Fig 1). The normal hair cycle Hair follicles produce hairs that range in size from minute vellus hair to long, thick terminal hair, and are divided anatomically into bulb, suprabulbar, isthmus, and infundibular zones. 2 Each follicle is ectodermally derived from hair germ cells in the developing embryo, the development of which progresses via interactions with the mesenchymal dermal papillae, leading to the formation of anagen hairs with complete follicular components, including sebaceous and apocrine glands. 3 Anagen hair. The hair shaft is composed of three layers, called the medulla, cortex, and cuticle (Fig 1). The medulla lies in the center of the shaft and contains granules with citrulline, an amino acid, which is unique to the medulla and internal root sheath (IRS). The cortex forms the bulk of the shaft, and its outermost layer, the cuticle, interlocks with the IRS cuticle. The IRS also consists of three layers, including the IRS cuticle (the innermost layer), the Huxley layer, and the Henle layer (the outermost layer). Keratinization of the IRS, which first begins in the Henle layer, provides supports to the hair shaft up to the level of the isthmus, at which point the IRS disintegrates. Keratinization abnormalities in the IRS are involved in the pathogenesis of certain hair shaft defects, such as loose anagen syndrome (LAS). Trichilemmal keratinization begins at the level of the isthmus, where keratinization does not occur with the formation of a granular layer, and begins epider- mal keratinization with the formation of both stratum granulosum and corneum only at the level of the infundibulum. 2 The hair cuticle can be divided into different sections: endocuticle (the innermost), exo- cuticle, exocuticular A-layer, which contains high amounts of sulfur, and fiber cuticle surface mem- brane (the outermost). 4,5 Finally, the last two layers of the follicular unit consist of the vitreous layer (a periodic acideSchiff-positive and diastase-resistant zone which thickens during the early catagen phase), and a fibrous root sheath. 2 From the Departments of Dermatology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine a ; the Division of Medicine and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine b ; and the Department of Pediatric Dermatology Saint Louis Children’s Hospital. c Funding sources: None. Conflicts of interest: None declared. Reprint requests: Amy S. Cheng, MD, Department of Dermatology, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, 1755 S Grand Ave, Saint Louis, MO 63104. E-mail: [email protected]. 0190-9622/$34.00 ª 2008 by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2008.04.002 1
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CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
The genetics of hair shaft disorders
Amy S. Cheng, MD,a and Susan J. Bayliss, MDb,c
Saint Louis, Missouri
Many of the genes causing hair shaft defects have recently been elucidated. This continuing medicaleducation article discusses the major types of hair shaft defects and associated syndromes and includes areview of histologic features, diagnostic modalities, and findings in the field of genetics, biochemistry, andmolecular biology. Although genetic hair shaft abnormalities are uncommon in general dermatologypractice, new information about genetic causes has allowed for a better understanding of the underlyingpathophysiologies. ( J Am Acad Dermatol 2008;59:1-22.)
Learning objective: At the conclusion of this article, the reader should be familiar with the clinicalpresentation and histologic characteristics of hair shaft defects and associated genetic diseases. The readershould be able to recognize disorders with hair shaft abnormalities, conduct appropriate referrals and orderappropriate tests in disease evaluation, and select the best treatment or supportive care for patients withhair shaft defects.
EVALUATION OF THE HAIRFor the student of hair abnormalities, a full review
of microscopic findings and basic anatomy can befound in the textbook Disorders of Hair Growth byElise Olsen,1 especially the chapter on ‘‘Hair ShaftDisorders’’ by David Whiting, which offers a thor-ough review of the subject.1 The recognition of theanatomic characteristics of normal hair and the effectsof environmental factors are important when evalu-ating a patient for hair abnormalities. The normal haircycle of anagen, catagen, and telogen is important inthe foundational knowledge of hair, as is the micro-scopic structure of the hair shaft (Fig 1).
The normal hair cycleHair follicles produce hairs that range in size from
minute vellus hair to long, thick terminal hair, andare divided anatomically into bulb, suprabulbar,isthmus, and infundibular zones.2 Each follicle isectodermally derived from hair germ cells in thedeveloping embryo, the development of which
From the Departments of Dermatology at Saint Louis University
School of Medicinea; the Division of Medicine and Pediatrics,
Washington University School of Medicineb; and the Department
of Pediatric Dermatology Saint Louis Children’s Hospital.c
Funding sources: None.
Conflicts of interest: None declared.
Reprint requests: Amy S. Cheng, MD, Department of Dermatology,
Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, 1755 S Grand Ave,
ª 2008 by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc.
doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2008.04.002
progresses via interactions with the mesenchymaldermal papillae, leading to the formation of anagenhairs with complete follicular components, includingsebaceous and apocrine glands.3
Anagen hair. The hair shaft is composed of threelayers, called the medulla, cortex, and cuticle (Fig 1).The medulla lies in the center of the shaft andcontains granules with citrulline, an amino acid,which is unique to the medulla and internal rootsheath (IRS). The cortex forms the bulk of the shaft,and its outermost layer, the cuticle, interlocks withthe IRS cuticle. The IRS also consists of three layers,including the IRS cuticle (the innermost layer), theHuxley layer, and the Henle layer (the outermostlayer). Keratinization of the IRS, which first begins inthe Henle layer, provides supports to the hair shaft upto the level of the isthmus, at which point the IRSdisintegrates. Keratinization abnormalities in theIRS are involved in the pathogenesis of certain hairshaft defects, such as loose anagen syndrome (LAS).Trichilemmal keratinization begins at the level of theisthmus, where keratinization does not occur withthe formation of a granular layer, and begins epider-mal keratinization with the formation of both stratumgranulosum and corneum only at the level of theinfundibulum.2 The hair cuticle can be divided intodifferent sections: endocuticle (the innermost), exo-cuticle, exocuticular A-layer, which contains highamounts of sulfur, and fiber cuticle surface mem-brane (the outermost).4,5 Finally, the last two layersof the follicular unit consist of the vitreous layer (aperiodic acideSchiff-positive and diastase-resistantzone which thickens during the early catagen phase),and a fibrous root sheath.2
The bulb of a follicular unit consists of the dermalpapillae, the lowest portion of the fibrous sheath, andmatrix cells whose replication forms the hair shaft.The suprabulbar region lies between the bulb and theisthmus. The isthmus lies between the attachment ofthe arrector pilimuscle and the entry of the sebaceousduct, and the infundibulum lies above the entry to thesebaceous duct to the surface epithelium.
Anagen hairs have indented elongated roots withpigmented adjacent shafts. In the scalp, anagenfollicles usually grow from 2 to 7 years, while shorterhairs and vellus hairs have more abbreviated anagengrowth periods. Anagen follicles are actively repli-cating and therefore are especially susceptible tonutritional deficiencies and metabolic insults. Theyare covered by intact long inner root and outer rootsheaths and are rooted deeply in the reticular dermis.Therefore, anagen hairs are difficult to detach, anddo not come off with regular brushing of hair.
Catagen hair. During this phase, matrix cellsretract from the dermal papillae and degenerate.2,6
Early on, the vitreous layer thickens and a group ofmatrix and ORS cells begins to form the presumptiveclub of the follicle (Fig 1).2 As catagen phasecontinues, the disintegration of the epithelial col-umn, vitreous layer, IRS, and proximal ORS occur,along with the cessation of pigment formation. Thesechanges lead to the migration of the dermal papillaeand follicular unit towards more superficial layers ofthe dermis. Catagen hairs usually represent approx-imately 1% of all scalp hairs, and therefore areusually not easily found on a pull test or biopsy.
Telogen hair. Telogen hairs have short, white,club-shaped roots, and lack both an ORS and an IRS
(Fig 1).2,7 Pigment is lacking in the hair shaft adjacentto the root, and the vitreous and epithelium columnshave regressed at this point. With the formation ofthe new anagen hair below the club, the developingfollicle will eventually replace the telogen hair rest-ing above, leading to shedding of an average of 50 to100 scalp hairs a day. Telogen hairs normally consistof 6% to 10% of all terminal scalp hair. Telogen hairsare usually located more superficially in the papillarydermis, are no longer firmly anchored, and are easyto detach with a pull test or normal hair brushing.
EVALUATION OF THE HAIR SHAFTThe initial evaluation of a patient should start with
a good history, physical examination, and review ofsymptoms. A pull test, which is performed usinggentle traction on the patient’s hairs, can be used toeasily determine a weakness in anchoring of the hairson the scalp.1 For example, telogen effluvium andLAS will both release more hairs than normal. Usually40 to 60 hairs are grasped and gentle traction is usedon a pull test. Telogen hairs should roughly comprise10% of the scalp hairs, so usually 4 to 6 or fewer hairsextracted is considered normal ( # 10%). Next, hairshafts should be evaluated by light microscopy withdry-mounting on a glass slide followed by applica-tion of a coverslip, or using glass slides previouslycoated with double-stick clear tape.8 A more perma-nent way of looking at individual haft shafts is to use amounting medium9,10 (Cytoseal 60; Thermo FisherScientific, Waltham, MA) and observing the hairs afterthe medium has dried. It should be kept in mind thatnormal patients can have occasional hair shaft anom-alies which are not clinically relevant.1
Fig 1. Schematic of anagen, catagen, and telogen hair.
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Fig 2. Schematic of hair shaft defects.
GENETIC DISEASES MOST COMMONLYASSOCIATED WITH HAIR SHAFTDISORDERS
In order to understand the genetics of hair shaftdisorders, the nomenclature for the specific hairanomalies must be understood and recognized (Fig2). Table I lists the diseases associated with hair shaftabnormalities that are discussed in this paper; TableII separates hair shaft disorders into those with orwithout increased hair fragility.
associated with loss of cuticle on the hair shaft areseen, along with a microscopic appearance of frayedcortical fibers pushed up against each other like two
paintbrushes (Fig 3). TN is traumatic in origin andcan affect hairs weakened by congenital or acquireddisorders. Acquired proximal TN is most commonlyseen in people with very curly hair who style theirhair with chemicals and excessive mechanicaltrauma. Breakage of the proximal hair shaft isprominent. Acquired distal TN (‘‘split ends’’) showsbreakage of the distal hair shaft and is caused bymechanical trauma and weathering. Congenital TNcan be seen alone and has been reported in certaingenodermatoses and metabolic disorders, and isdiscussed further below.
Argininosuccinicaciduria. TN occurs in ap-proximately 50% of cases of argininosuccinicacidu-ria,11 an inborn error of urea synthesis causedby argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) deficiency.12 ASL
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catalyzes the formationof arginine and fumarate fromargininosuccinate in the urea cycle, and deficiencyleads to an impairment of nitrogenous metabolismand excretion.13,14 Accumulation of nitrogenouswaste products can lead to organ toxicity, seizures,hyperammonemic coma, neurologic damage, andgrowth retardation.13,15,16
ASL is a homotetrameric enzyme17 that has beenmapped to region pter/22 on chromosome 7.18-20
Genetic heterogeneity at this locus, along with thevariable phenotype of different mutations,21,22 re-sults in a wide clinical spectrum of disease presen-tation and partly accounts for the three major clinicalforms of argininosuccinicaciduria.23-25
The most severe phenotype occurs at birth, withthe symptoms of lethargy, seizures, and respiratorydistress culminating in early death if not treated early.Less severe disease presents in either the first fewmonths of life (with mental retardation, develop-mental delay, and hepatomegaly) or in early child-hood (with psychomotor retardation, mentalretardation, and central nervous system [CNS] abnor-malities). Hair is usually normal at birth, with laterdevelopment of dry, dull hair and TN in infancy orearly childhood (Fig 4). Low serum arginine and
elevated serum and urine citrulline values are foundon laboratory evaluation.
Arginine supplementation can be beneficial inpatients with less severe deficiencies and can nor-malize systemic acidosis and improve hair textureand neurologic development; this should be initiatedat diagnosis.11,13 Arginine supplementation, how-ever, does not reverse the deficiency in severelyaffected patients.11,16,26
Citrullinemia. Citrullinemia is caused by a defi-ciency of the urea cycle enzyme argininosuccinicacid synthetase (AAS). Citrulline is a normal aminoacid constituent of the hair medulla and IRS thatcatalyzes the formation of argininosuccinate fromcitrulline and aspartate. Patients with infantile citrul-linemia present with hyperammonemia, excess ci-trulline, and low plasma arginine.27 The AAS gene islocated on chromosome 9q34.28,29
There are two types of citrullinemia: infantile andadult-onset. Infantile citrullinemia results in the dis-turbance of AAS in all tissues. In the hair, this leads tofindings of TN,30,31 atrophic hair bulbs, and/or pilitorti (PT).32 A rash similar to acrodermatitis enter-opathica has been reported in some patients.27,31
Clinically, manifestations are similar to argininosuc-cinicaciduria. Adult-onset citrullinemia differs frominfantile citrullinemia because the AAS deficiency is
is a clinically diverse autosomal recessive neuroecto-dermal disorder with brittle hair and low sulfur contentof hair33 caused by a mutation of a regulatory geneinvolved in the transcription of DNA34,35 (Fig 5).Trichoschisis is a common finding,36 and involvementof all body hair has been reported37,38 (Fig 6).Trichoschisis is characterized by a clean transversefractureof thehair shaft. The lowcystine (sulfur) contentof hair is postulated to account for cuticular and corticalweakness.
TTD is a heterogeneous disorderwith a list ofmorethan 100 variable features.35 Eight subgroups havebeen categorized by Itin et al35 and include BIDS(brittle hair, intellectual impairment, decreased fer-tility, and short stature), IBIDS (BIDS 1 ichthyosis),PIBIDS (BIDS 1 photosensitivity), SIBIDS (otoscle-rosis 1 IBIDS), ONMR (onychotrichodysplasia,chronic neutropenia, and mentral retardation), andTay, Sabinas, and Pollitt syndromes.35,39-53
Trichoschisis is characteristically seen on lightmicroscopy. Under polarized light, the characteristic‘‘tiger tail’’ pattern of alternating bright and darkdiagonal bands is seen in most TTD patients and israrely found in normal individuals.54 The underlyingcause of the tiger tail pattern is unknown, but it ishypothesized to be secondary to the irregular sulfurcontent of the hair shaft.55 This pattern can be seen inutero,56 but its absence does not exclude the diag-nosis.57 The sulfur and cystine content of the hair isreduced to approximately 50% in both the cuticleand the cortex,58 with a marked absence of highsulfur content proteins59,60 and an increase in lowsulfur content proteins in the hair shaft.33
TTD, photosensitivity, and impaired DNA repair.Some patients with TTD exhibit photosensitivity and
impaired DNA repair mechanisms.61-68 These DNArepair defects have been linked to abnormalities innucleotide excision repair (NER) which eliminatesultraviolet lighteinduced cyclobutane pyrimidinedimers, pyrimidine pyrimodone photoproducts (6-4PP), and intrastrand crosslinks in the DNA.69 NERcomprises a complex-overlapping network of enzy-matic pathways for DNA repair with approximately30 gene products involved.70 Studies have found thatin TTD, 95% of photosensitive patients with NERdefects can be assigned to the xeroderma pigmento-sum (XP) complement group D (XPD).35 In addition,defects in twoother genes, theXP complement groupB gene (XPB) and TTD-A gene, have been identifiedin a few patients.64 XPD, first identified as excisionrepair cross-complementing gene (ERCC2),71 islocated on chromosome 19q13.2.72 XPB is mappedto chromosome 2q21.73 TTD patients with defectiveDNA repair are not at increased risk for developingskin cancer, in contrast to patients with XP.68
Hypotheses for this discrepancy include differencesin activation of apoptosis,74 function of natural killercells, expression of molecules such as intracellularadhesion molecule-1,75 and mutation-inducedchanges in protein structure.76
XPD and XPB are two of seven known XP genes,and encode DNA helicases that are subunits in the 10protein transcription initiation factor IIH (TFIIH)complex, a transcription factor required for RNA
Fig 5. Patient with trichothiodystrophy. Note the shortsparse hair.
Fig 4. Patient with argininosuccinicaciduria.
Fig 6. Light microscopy of trichoschisis. Note the cleanbreak in the hair shaft.
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polymerase IIemediated transcription and involvedin nucleotide excision repair.35,65 Its function hasonly recently been elucidated.
TTD-A encodes the tenth subunit of the TFIIHcomplex, and is an 8-kDa protein that has beendesignated GTF2H5 in the human homolog.77,78 Thisprotein has been found to participate in ultravioletlight repair and maintainence of TFIIH levels. Amutation of the gene for TTD-A leads to decreasedintracellular TFIIH levels,35,79 which is similar to TTDpatients with XPB and XPD gene defects.77,78,80 It hasbeen theorized that different XP gene mutationscause varying defects in DNA repair and/or genetranscription, leading to the pathognomonic presen-tations in each syndrome.34,35,59,81-93
In a small group of patients, elevated tempera-tures can cause in vitro instability of TFIIH.35,79,88,94 Ithas been suggested that fever may cause worseningof TTD features in subgroups of patients.
Non-photosensitive TTD: Genetically heteroge-neous disorder. Mutations in chromosome 7p14at C7orf11 designated TTD nonphotosensitive1 (TTDN1), has been identified in two types ofnon-photosensitive TTD: Amish brittle-hair syn-drome and non-photosensitive TTD with mentalretardation and/or decreased fertility.95 The functionof C7orf11 is unknown, but is expressed in theepidermis, fibroblasts, and hair follicles, and mayplay a role in transcriptional processes.95 Mutation ofC7orf11 does not alter TFIIH levels, suggesting thatC7orf11 differs from photosensitive TTD.95 Thismutation has not been found in patients withSabinas or Pollitt syndromes, which are two othervariants of non-photosensitive TTD.
(NS) is an autosomal recessive disorder with variablepenetrance96-99 defined by a triad of symptoms:ichthyosis linearis circumflexa, trichorrhexis invagi-nata (TI), and an atopic diathesis96,100-102 (Fig 7).TI usually appears in infancy,57 but can develop
later.103-105 Clinically, the scalp hair is short andbrittle and the eyebrows may be affected.106
The extent of skin findings in NS is highly variableand ranges from ichthyosis linearis circumflexa inmilder cases107,108 to nonbullous congenital ichthyo-siform erythroderma (CIE)96,109 with severe erythro-derma. Ichthyosis linearis circumflexa is a polycyclicand serpiginous scaling eruption that can changein pattern with a characteristic, double-edged scaleon its borders. In NS, babies may be born with acollodion membrane, generalized scaling, or ery-thema.110 Failure to thrive, recurrent infections, anddehydration can be attributable to impaired epider-mal barrier function early in life.103,109,111,112
Atopic dermatitis, hay fever, angioedema, urti-caria, allergic rhinitis, hypereosinophilia, recurrentskin infections, and elevated immunoglobulin E (IgE)levels can be found in many patients.109,113 Shortstature, growth retardation, and mental deficits canoccur.114 Other Ig levels are usually normal, althoughthere are reports of IgG subclass deficiency.96,109
Intermittent aminoaciduria has been described insome cases.101,115
Microscopically, TI (‘‘bamboo hair’’) demonstratesthe distal hair shaft invaginating into the proximalhair shaft (Fig 8). As the hair breaks at this area ofinvagination, sometimes only the proximal invagi-nated hair shaft can be seen (‘‘golf-tee hair’’).
NS is caused by an defect in the SPINK5 gene onchromosome 5q32116 encoding the serine proteaseinhibitor LEKTI (lymphoepithelial Kazal-type relatedinhibitor).117,118 Absence of LEKTI is thought to leadto the premature activation of stratum corneumtryptic/chymotryptic enzymes, resulting in proteoly-sis of desmosomes and adhesion molecules.119,120
Another theory is that it causes prematurely activa-tion of phospholipase A2119 which stimulates earlylamellar body secretion.119,121 Electron microscopy(EM) findings of premature lamellar body secretionin the stratum corneum from skin biopsies may becaused by the dysregulation of serine proteasesinvolved in control and coordination of receptorsassociated with keratinocyte maturation, lamellarsecretion, and normal desquamation.120
The correlation between the type of SPINK5 mu-tation and the specific phenotype has yet to be
Fig 7. Patient with Netherton syndrome.
Fig 8. Light microscopy of trichorrhexis invaginata.
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elucidated.104,117,120 A study of six coding polymor-phisms in SPINK5 found that aGlu420/Lysmutationis linked to atopy in two extended family groups.122
Hair breakage may improve with age, perhapsbecause hair shafts become thicker. The use of oralretinoids has yielded mixed results.96,112,123 Anytopical medication should be used with extremecaution because of skin barrier dysfunction, whichincreases the risk for marked systemic absorptionand toxicity.119,124
MonilethrixMonilethrix (beaded hair) is characterized by hair
shafts with elliptical nodes at regular intervals withintervening, non-medullated tapered fragile constric-tions.125 Hairs rarely grow beyond 1 to 2 cm in lengthbecause of breakage (Fig 9), resulting in a stubblyappearance. Inheritance is usually autosomal do-minant with high penetrance and variable express-ivity.126,127 Other common findings are keratoticfollicular papules at the nape of the neck, keratosispilaris, and TN. Monilethrix usually presents in earlychildhood, but it has been reported as late as theseconddecadeof life.128 Adiagnosis canbeelucidatedbyexamininghairs by lightmicroscopy129 (Figs 10and11). At the internodes, electron microscopy revealsincreased longitudinal ridging with fluting.130,131
The gene for monilethrix is linked to the type IIkeratin gene cluster on chromosome 12q13.132-134
Studies have isolated mutations in type II hair cortexkeratins hHB6 and hHB1. The gene is divided struc-turally into a-helical rod domains, helix initiationmotifs (HIM), and helix termination motifs (HTM).
The hHB6 and hHB1 gene products are both ex-pressed in the hair cortex.135 The most commonmutation involves lysine substitution of a highconserved glutamic acid residue in the HTM of thehHB6 gene (E413K).135-137 No definitive link be-tween mutational genotype and clinical phenotypehas been identified.138,139 Linkage studies haveexcluded type I cortex keratins and other genesinvolved in hair shaft formation, such as trichohyalin,involucrin, ultra-high sulfur matrix proteins, and type1 to 3 transglutaminases,140 but the clinical heteroge-neity seen in monilethrix may still result from otherrelated gene products135,139,141-147 and environmen-tal factors.127,138,148
Although there are no specific treatments, topicalminoxidil149 and oral etretinate have all been re-ported to improve hair growth.150,151
Pili tortiPT is characterized by hair shafts which are
flattened and twist with an angle of 1808152 (Figs 12and 13). Fractures occur within the twists, which isthe weakest point.
Classic PT. The original cases of classic PTreported by Ronchese153 in 1932 were described
Fig 9. Patient with monilethrix.
Fig 10. Light microscopy of the nodes and internodesseen in monilethrix.
Fig 11. Light microscopy highlighting the medullatednodes and nonmedullated internodes in the hair of apatient with monilethrix.
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8 Cheng and Bayliss
with thin fragile hair of eyebrows, eyelashes, and theentire scalp. PT presents in the first 2 years of life.152
Inheritance patterns can be autosomal dominant,152
autosomal recessive,154 or sporadic.155 A limitednumber of cases have been reported, and no genedefect has been elucidated.
Late-onset PT. Beare156 described an autosomaldominant disorder with the onset of PT in childhoodor after puberty in white patients with black unrulyhair and non-progressive mental deficiency. Thedisease typically presents with breakage of eyebrowsand eyelashes.
PT and hearing loss (Bjornstad and Crandallsyndromes). Bjornstad syndrome is a rare disordercharacterized by congenital sensorineural hearingloss and PT157-164 which has been mapped tochromosone 2q34-36.162,165 Crandall syndrome issimilar with findings of hypogonadism.161,164
Mental retardation is rarely associated161,166,167 witheither. Typically, patients develop PT in the first 2years of life, and have evidence of hearing loss by 4years of age. The severity of the hair shaft abnor-mality has been demonstrated to correlate with theseverity of deafness.164,167
Genetic mapping of the region 2q34-36 revealeda mutation in BCS1L, which encodes an ATPaserequired for the assembly of a mitochondrial com-plex.168 The BCS1L protein plays a role in theassembly of mitochondrial complex III and in theelectron-transport chain of energy production.168
Patients with Bjornstad syndrome have mutationsin BCS1L that alter protein-protein interactions,whereas patients with GRACILE (growth retardation,aminoaciduria, cholestasis, iron overload, lactic ac-idosis and early death) syndrome, a multisystemlethal mitochondrial disorder, have altered adeno-sine triphosphate binding.168 Most cases are autoso-mal recessive, but two reports suggest dominant
transmission.158,169 Early auditory testing is impor-tant with all children with PT.
PT and ectodermal dysplasias. As part of anectodermal dysplasia (ED), hair can be affected. ED isa heterogenous group of hereditary diseases causedby developmental anomalies during embryogenesisof one or more epidermal appendages.170,171 PThas been reported with different EDs.153,154,172-184
(Table III).PT and other associations. PT has been re-
ported in association with other genetic hair shaftabnormalities32,98,105,127,183-189 (Table IV).
Menkes syndrome. The primary hair finding inclassic Menkes syndrome (MS; Menkes kinky hairsyndrome) is PT, but other defects, such as TN, havebeen described.190,191 This X-linked recessive condi-tion is associated with skin and hair hypopigmenta-tion, progressive neurologic degeneration withmental retardation, bone and connective tissue alter-ations with soft doughy skin and joint laxity, andvascular abnormalities, including aneurysms andbladder diverticula.192-194 Patients exhibit low serumconcentrations of copper and ceruloplasmin. Mostpatients appear normal at birth and then typicallydevelop neurologic deteroriation, lethargy, and a lossof milestones in the second or third months of life.Hairs become sparse, short, brittle, and depig-mented, and they fracture easily and resemble steelwool.7
Cases affecting females have been reported195-197
because of X-chromosome translocations196-199 or45X/46XX mosaicism. Female heterozygotes mayexhibit mild PT on close inspection.200
MS is caused by a defective copper export fromcells with normal copper absorption into cells. TheMenkesgene (MNK)hasbeenmapped toXq13.3201-203
and encodes ATP7A, a P-type cation transportingATPase localized to the plasma membrane and thetrans-Golgi network (TGN).204,205 At normal levels ofintracellular copper, ATP7A is concentrated at the
Fig 12. Light microscopy of pili torti with visible twistingof the hair shaft.
Fig 13. Patient with pili torti.
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TGN and functions to transfer copper into copper-dependent enzymes, such as lysyl oxidase. Withincreased intracellular copper absorbed through thehCTR1 transporter, ATP7A is redistributed to smallcytoplasmic vesicles and to the plasma membrane,functioning to pump copper out of cells to preventtoxicity.204-206 If copper levels fall to normal, ATP7Areturns to the TGN network and resumes transfer ofcopper. Mutations in the MNK gene lead to accumu-lation of intracellular copper and prevent coppertransport to copper dependent enzymes such as lysyloxidase. With excess intracellular copper, RNA syn-thesis of metallothionine is triggered, which chelatesthe accumulated copper to prevent cellular toxicity,but further reducing the transfer of copper toenzymes.
Accumulation of copper occurs in intestinal enter-ocytes, which absorb copper from nutritional sour-ces and in renal tubular cells, which absorb copperpresent in the glomerular filtrate. With inadequatefunctional transfer of copper from the intestines andkidney, copper cannot be exported into the entero-hepatic and systemic circulation for liver absorptionand processing respectively. The enzyme ATP7A isalso expressed in cells involved in copper transportacross the bloodebrain barrier and cardiac myo-cytes, leading to low levels of copper in these organs.
Functional deficiency of copper-dependent en-zymes is involved in collagen/elastin/keratin cross-linkage,207 myelin synthesis, free radical defense,melanin formation, and electron transport chainfunction,204,208,209 and results in clinical features(Table V). Keratinization abnormalities190 of thehair shaft, with impaired formation of disulfidecross-links in the keratin,193 are likely to be second-ary to dysfunction of copper-dependent enzymes,leading to increased hair fragility.
Milder variants of classic MS arise from mutationsin the Menkes genetic locus that allow some residualATP7A function, primarily from missense mutationsthat result in altered mRNA splicing.204 Occipital
horn syndrome (OHS) manifests with PT and con-nective tissue abnormalities, such as soft doughy laxskin and diverticula, and little neurologic aberration.It is called OHS because of bony projections (exos-toses) which occur on the occipital bone of the skull.
Mouse models exist for MS and its vari-ants,205,206,210-214 where the effects of decreasedlevels closely parallel findings in humans. Frommouse and human models, phenotypic expressionresulting from the ATP7A mutation is determined bythe effect of the mutation on protein function, intra-cellular localization, and trafficking.204
Treatment of MS syndrome consists of infusionswith copper-histidine. Copper-histidine increasesserum copper levels and can permit survival intoadolescence. However, many children do not survivebeyond the first decade of life, and death is caused bya multitude of factors including neurologic deteror-iation and organ failure. The full function of copperhistidine and how itworks is not well characterized. Itmust be administered early in life, because it mayprevent but not reverse permanent neurologic dam-age.215-220 Copper-histidine therapy has limited ef-fects on connective tissue abnormalities. Postmortemexamination of a 10-year-old child treated withcopper-histidine revealed straight coarse hypopig-mented hair, skeletal abnormalities, vascular degen-eration, and bladder diverticula, but limited CNSpathology and normal mentation. Treatment isthought to alter its phenotype to one that is closerto OHS if treatment is implemented early.217,218
Woolly hairWoolly hair (WH) occurs in persons of non-African
ancestry.131 Hairs are tightly curled, with an averagecurl diameter of 0.5 cm,221 and can also contain widetwists over several millimeters along its own longi-tudinal axis.222 It was originally described byHutchinson221 as ‘‘pseudopili-torti.’’ Hair shafts areovoid, flattened, or irregular.221-223 Associated hairfindings may include increased hair fragility, TN,224
Table III. Ectodermal dysplasias/defects reportedwith pili torti
Widely spaced teeth and enamel hypoplasia153,172
Acrofacial dysostosis of the palagonia type173,174
Tooth agenesis175
Arthrogryphosis179
Nail dystrophy180
Clefting176-178
Corneal opacities154
Trichodysplasiaxeroderma181
Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia182
Ichthyosis154,183,184
Table IV. Disorders associated with pili torti
Monilethrix127
Pseudomonilethrix185
Woolly hair221
Mitochondrial disorders186
Netherton syndrome184
Bazex syndrome189
Longitudinal grooves323
Trichorrhexis nodosa187
Trichorrhexis invaginata98,105,183
Citrullinemia32
Laron syndrome188
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trichoschisis, and pili annulati (PA).221 The rate ofhair growth is typically normal (approximately1 cm/month), and the composition of keratin andamino acids do not differ from normal hair.
Hereditary dominant woolly hair. Hereditarydominant woolly hair usually affects the entire scalpand is seen either at birth or within the first fewmonths of life.220,225 It usually occurs alone, but hasbeen reported with PT and PA,221 ocular problems, orkeratosis pilaris.226-231 Thegenetic defect is unknown.
Familial recessive woolly hair. Hair is fragileand fine with a light pale or blonde color221 at birth,and the hair may not grow beyond the length of afew centimeters, probably secondary to a shortenedanagen phase. The genetic defect is unknown.
Woolly hair with cardiac abnormalities:Naxos disease, Carvajal syndrome, and Naxos-like disease. In Naxos disease, WH is usually pre-sent at birth; palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) usu-ally develops during childhood. Arrhythmogenicright ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)232 beginsto manifest during adolescence or early adulthood.Definitive diagnosis of ARVC requires biopsy of themyocardium showing fibrofatty replacement.233
Naxos disease has been mapped to chromosome17q21 and is an autosomal recessive disorder. Thecandidate gene for this disorder is plakoglobin, a keycomponent of desmosomal and tight junctions, andis found in the heart, skin, and hair.233,234 Carriers ofNaxos disease can show minor phenotypic features,such as woolly hair, mild electrocardiographic ab-normalities, and mild right ventricular dilatationwithout progression to ARVC.235,236 Mutational het-erogeneity has been demonstrated in the Naxos genelocus, and may account for the variable phenotype inpatients and carriers of the disease.235
Desmoplakin mutations have also been reportedwith WH and cardiomyopathy without keratoderma.Desmoplakin is a protein found in desmosomes incellecell junctions in the heart, skin, and hair. It
contains three functional domains: an N-terminaldomain that binds to cadherins (desmogleins anddesmocollins) via plakoglobin and plakophilin in-teractions; a rod domain; and a C-terminal domainwhich binds intermediate filaments.237
Abnormalities in desmoplakin are involved inCarvajal syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorderwith biventricular dilated cardiomyopathy, PPK, andWH.238 Mutation analysis of an Ecuadorian familywith Carvajal syndrome demonstrated a 7901delGmutation in exon24 on chromosome 6, forming apremature stop codon. A truncated desmoplakinprotein missing the terminal part of the C-terminaldomain results.239 Postmortem analysis of a heartspecimen from a patient with Carvajal syndromedemonstrated reductions in desmoplakin, plakoglo-bin, connexin 43 staining, and reduced levels ofdesmin, an intermediate filament protein, at theintercalated discs of cardiac myocytes.
Naxos-like disease is an autosomal recessive dis-order with ARVC, WH, early-onset blistering on theknees, palms and soles, and dry skin.240 Skin biop-sies of the blister sites demonstrate histology similarto pemphigus foliaceus on hemotoxylineeosinstaining. Mutation analysis demonstrates a missensemutation in the C-terminus of the desmoplakinprotein.
The pathogenesis of WH and its associated find-ings is not well known. Hair follicle desmosomescontain desmoplakin, plakoglobin, and plakophi-lin1. Fragility at desmosomal junctions is hypothe-sized to dysregulate hair development leadingto the common phenotype of WH.234,239,241
Plakoglobin has been shown to be important inhair follicle proliferation and differentiation.242
However, the pathogenesis of WH, PPK, and cardi-omyopathy has yet to be elucidated in desmosomalmutations. Even more confusing is the report of twoArab families with clinical findings consistentwith Naxos disease without plakoglobin,
Table V. Copper-dependent enzymes in Menkes syndrome
Tyrosinase Melanin formation HypopigmentationCytochrome c oxidase Electron transport chain Hypothermia, muscle weakness, ataxia, seizures, and
energy deficiencyPeptidylglycine a amidating
monooxygenase (PAM)Neuropeptide processing Unknown, possible neurodegeneration
Superoxide dismutase Free radial scavenger Low tolerance of oxidative stress, demyelinationCross-linkase Cross-linkage of keratin Coarse, brittle hairDopamine B hydroxylase Catecholamine production Hypothalamic imbalance, hypothermia, hypotension
Adapted from Mercer204 and Peterson.208
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desmoplakin, plakophillin, desmocollin, and des-moglein mutations.242,243
Woolly hair without cardiac abnormalities.Woolly hair and skin fragility syndrome. WH andskin fragility syndrome consists of early-onset blister-ing, focal and diffuse PPK, WH, dystrophic nails, andalopecia.241 It differs from Naxos-like disease in thatthere are no cardiac abnormalities. Blistering at theheels and lower extremities is reported during infancyand recurrent during childhood, and blistering canalso affect the scalp and other regions of the body. It isassociated with recurrent secondary infections withStaphylococcus aureus on the palms and soles.Electron microscopy of palmoplantar skin desmon-strates suprabasilar dysadhesion. Mutations in desmo-plakin have been identified with this disorder, butthere is no associated cardiac disorder. A patient witha plakophilin1 mutation was also reported to exhibit asimilar phenotype, except the proband had shortsparse hair without reported features of WH.244
Diffuse partial woolly hair. Autosomal dominantdiffuse partial WH has been found in six members ofa family245 and patients presented in early adult life.The underlying genetic defect is unknown. WHs areshort, fine, and kinky. Normal-appearing familymembers had a smaller percentage of WHs inter-spersed within normal scalp hair, and therefore didnot have any apparent clinical complaints, whileclinically apparent members had a higher fraction ofWHs. Another family was described with wavyhypopigmented, thin, and short hairs interspersedwith normal-appearing straight hairs.221 A tricho-gram (examination of hair roots by microscopy afterepilation) of the wavy/WHs revealed a predomi-nance of dysplastic anagen and telogen hairs withoutthe presence of normal anagen hairs.
Spontaneous improvement inoneadolescent-onsetcase has been noted.246 Cataracts,228 pupillary mem-branes, and retinal dysplasia have been reported.227
Woolly hair nevus. WH nevus (WHN) is a raresporadic disorder that affects a localized area on thescalp and typically presents generally within the first2 years of life,247,248 although onset in a teenager hasbeen reported.246 The hair is usually thinner andlighter in color when compared to the adjacentnormal hairs,131,246 and examination reveals tightlycurled hair with decreased cross-sectional diameter.Half of the cases reported have been associated withan epidermal or a congenital nevus, usually locatedipsilaterally on the neck or arms.246,249,250 WHNsyndrome has been reported with epidermal nevi,boney abnormalities, precocious puberty, speechand dental anomalies.251,252 WHN can followBlaschko lines, suggesting that it may be a mosaicdisorder. The genetic mutation has not been
identified, and probably represents a variant ofepidermal nevus syndrome.
Curly hairCurly hair demonstrates large loose spiral locks. It
can be seen in many genetic syndromes, includingtricho-dento-osseous (TDO), CHAND (curly hair,ankyloblepharon, and nail dysplasia), Costello,and Noonan syndromes and lipoatrophic diabetes(Table VI).
With TDO, patients are born with diffuse curlyhair that frequently straightens with age. Associatedanomalies include enamel hypoplasia; small,eroded, widely spaced, and taurodont teeth (en-larged pulp chambers); otosclerosis, dolichocephaly(long and narrow cranium), and frontal boss-ing.226,253-256 TDO is autosomal dominant and theproposed mutant gene, DLX3 on chromosome17q21, is a homeobox gene important for embryonicdevelopment.
CHAND syndrome includes the symptoms abovealong with variable ataxia.257 It is an autosomalrecessive disorder,258 and the gene mutation isunknown.
Costello syndrome is characterized by sparsecurly hair, growth deficiency, mental retardation,coarse facies, loose skin on the hands and feet, nasaland perioral papillomata, and other variable fea-tures.259-263 There is also an increased risk of devel-oping solid tumors, such as rhabdomyosarcoma,neuroblastoma, and transitional cell carcinoma.Twisting of the hair shaft has been demonstratedby light microscopy.264 HRAS mutations have beenidentified in 12 out of 13 patients with Costellosyndrome in one study.265 RAS proto-oncogenesencode GTP-binding proteins that function in themitogen-activated protein kinase pathway (MAPK),and play a role in cell regulation and proliferation.
Noonan syndrome is characterized by dysmor-phic facies, ear and ocular anomalies, cardiovascularanomalies, multiple nevi, short stature, keratosispilaris atrophicans, webbed neck, and either curlyor woolly hair.231,266,267 It is an autosomal dominantdisorder with near complete penetrance, and ap-proximately one-half of all cases are caused by gainof function mutations in PTPN11, a gene encodingthe SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase.268 The SHP-2 pro-tein is important in intracellular signal conductionand has effects on developmental processes.
MiscellaneousMarie Unna hypotrichosis. In Marie Unna hy-
potrichosis (MUH), affected persons are born withnormal to coarse sparse hair and eyebrows anddevelop progressive coarsening within the first few
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Table VI. Disorders associated with curly hair
Disorder Hair features Other features Transmission/gene
Trichodento-osseoussyndrome
Curly hair at birth,straightens with age;no specific defects
Noonan syndrome Curly or woolly hair Dysmorphic facies, ear and ocular anomalies,cardiovascular anomalies, short stature,webbed neck231,267
AD, PTPN11 gene268
years of life. Eyebrows, eyelashes, and axillary hair arealso affected. On the scalp, hair loss typically starts intheparietal andvertex areas,withpartial sparing of theposterior part of the occipital scalp. Heterogeneity ofclinical presentations exist.269 Histologically early on,mild to moderate inflammation with little fibrosis isseen in the dermis.270 In the late stages, follicles aredramatically reduced in number.269-271
MUH270,271-273 is an autosomal dominant disor-der273 involving an unknown hair growth regulatorygene on chromosomal region 8p21.274-277 The exactgene for MUH has yet to be identified. Geneticheterogeneity likely exists based on recent studieslinking MUH in a Chinese family to chromosome1p21.1-1q21.3.278
A recently described entity, ‘‘progressive pat-terned scalp hypotrichosis,’’ was found to have curlyhair and a similar pattern of hair loss, but is distinctfrom MUH in several ways. A family of 22 membersdemonstrated progressive patterned scalp hypotri-chosis with wiry/curly hair, onycholysis, and associ-ated cleft lip and palate.279 This family had wiry hairstarting at about 2 years of age. Onset of patternedalopecia developed from 15 to 23 years of age with anincreased number of telogen hairs found on hair pulltest. Distal onycholysis of the fingernails and facialclefting were reported in 5 members of the familywith the hair anomaly, but were not features in any ofthe unaffected members. The gene is unknown.
Uncombable hair syndromeUncombable hair syndrome (UHS; also known as
spun glass hair or pili trianguli et canaliculi) was firstdescribed in the French literature in 1973 by Dupreet al.280 The entire hair shaft is rigid with longitudinalgrooving. On cross section, the shaft has a triangularshape.281,282 Scalp hair typically has greater than 50%
involvement.283 Hair shafts are not twisted as in PT.The hair cannot be combed flat (Fig 14). Although itcan be present in dark hair, it is usually not asnoticeable. UHS usually manifests during childhood.Analysis of the hair shaft has found no consistentphysical or chemical abnormalities,284-286 althoughone study demonstrated increased exocuticle high-sulfur protein content,286 and another study demon-strated decreased solubility of abnormal fibrousproteins in the hair shaft.286,287
UHS is thought to arise from premature keratin-ization of a triangular-shaped IRS caused by anabnormally shaped dermal papilla.288 Another au-thor suggested that longitudinal grooves arose froman asymmetric matrix defect.289 The definitive diag-nosis of UHS is made by scanning electron micros-copy,283,284,290 although it is easy to see on standardmicroscopy.
Familial cases show autosomal dominant inheri-tance with variable penetrance.291-294 Associatedanomalies are rare but have been described include:cataracts,294,295 anomalies in bone develop-ment,294,296-298 alopecia areata,290 PT,299 and lichensclerosus.300
Hair tends to become more manageable with age,although the defect persists. A positive response tobiotin has been reported in a few cases.283,284
Loose anagen syndrome. In LAS, anagen hairslack IRS and external root sheaths, have ruffled cuti-cles, andareeasilypulled from the scalp301-303 (Fig 15).Most patients are blonde girls older than 2 years of age(mean, 6 years). Symptoms may persist into adult-hood. Adult-onset LAS is frequently misdiagnosed astelogen effluvium.304,305 More than80%of thepluckedanagen hairs are devoid of root sheaths.304 The hair istypically not brittle and has normal tensile strength.Gentle hair care is recommended.
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The genetic defect in LAS has not been wellcharacterized, but is thought to be a keratin defect.306
A mutation of keratin K6hf was found in three of ninefamilies with autosomal dominant LAS. K6hf is a typeII cytokeratin found exclusively in the companionlayer connected to Henle layer via desmosomes.More than one keratin gene may be involved in thepathogenesis of LAS.306
There is evidence of autosomal dominant trans-mission with variable expression and incompletepenetrance,304,306,307 but sporadic cases and rareassociations308-310 have been reported.
Pili annulatiPA has characteristic alternating light and dark
bands in the hair shafts that can be seen on clinicaland microscopic exam. It is thought that this hairdisorder is caused by the formation of abnormal aircavities in the hair shaft. It is usually clinically seenonly detectable only in blonde or lightly pigmentedhair,10 because the banding pattern caused by theair cavities tends to be obscured by the additionalpigment in dark colored hair.
PA appears at birth or during infancy. It is a rarekeratinization abnormality with autosomal domi-nant311,312 or sporadic inheritance.313 Axillaryhair,314 beard hair,315 and pubic hair316 are occasion-ally affected, and the hair is not brittle. Growth ofscalp hair is usually normal, although in one casegrowth rate was decreased.311
Both small and large air spaces are found betweenmacrofibrillar units within the cortex of the hairshaft.313 An unknown defect in the formation of themicro/macrofibril matrix complex is considered tobe the cause.315,317,318 The hairs themselves are notexcessively fragile311; however, it has been reportedin some patients that excessive weathering occurs inthe bands, suggesting that intrinsic shaft weaknessesmay occasionally exist.319
On transmission electron microscopy, a largenumber of abnormal cavities of varying shapes andsizes are visible within the cortex between corticalmacrofibrils and within cortical cells.313 In one study,
the cystine content of hair from PA is hypothesized tobe lower than normal, despite a normal amino acidanalysis and sulfur content.311 Gummer et al317
found a cystine-positive, electron negative opaquematerial in the intermicrofibrillar spaces. They spec-ulated that this material is formed because not all theavailable cystine is utilized in keratinization as aresult of insufficient production of a cortical compo-nent, and hypothesize that the deposit sites will goon to form cavities when the material is washed outof the hair shaft.
There is no associated hair or systemic abnormal-ities in PA. There have been reports of alopeciaareata,320,321 WH,221 and blue nevi of the scalp311
occuring concurrently with PA, possibly coinciden-tally. No treatment for PA is usually necessary, andmost patients do not experience hair fragility.
Mitochondrial disorders. TN, trichorrhexis,longitudinal grooving, trichoschisis, and PT havebeen reported with mitochondrial disorders. In aFrench series of 140 children with mitochondrialdisorders, 14 had cutaneous findings, of which sixhad hair shaft anomalies including longitudinalgrooving, trichoschisis, and/or PT.186 In anotherstudy, 8 out of 25 children with a mitochondrialdisorder had slow growing, sparse and fragile hairand microscopic evidence of TN and PT.322 Electronmicroscopy demonstrates loss of the hair cuticle. Theauthors suggest that hair anomalies may be an earlyclinical sign of a mitochondrial disorder.322
Fig 14. Patient with uncombable hair syndrome.
Fig 15. Young child with loose anagen hair syndrome.
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CONCLUSIONClinically, hair shaft defects may cause hair to be
fragile or have an unusual appearance. With the useof light microscopy, defects may be classified by thehair shaft morphology combined with clinical pre-sentation. Recently, there have been advances in thegenetic causes of hair shaft disorders, but work in thefields of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics,and dermatology is still ongoing. The ultimate goal isto understand mechanisms of these defects, and toelucidate normal and pathogenic pathways, so thatsuccessful therapies can be found.
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