562 | id == 562
562 | category_id == 30
562 | category_order == 27
562 | category_name == Hair Loss
562 | category_color == #C47AC0
562 | slug == TWIST2-baldness
562 | title == A Gene that Ensures Healthy Function of Hair Follicles (TWIST2)
562 | meta_description == TWIST2 is part of the Wnt signalling pathway & supports hair follicle development. Does it protect against hair loss?
562 | summary == <p><strong><em>TWIST2 </em>is part of the Wnt signalling pathway &amp; supports hair follicle development. Does it protect against male-pattern baldness? Find out here.</strong></p>
562 | overall_score_text == Your Hair Loss Score (based on TWIST2)
562 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/TWIST2-Male-pattern-baldness.png
562 | author_id == 1
562 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
562 | author_title == BSc, BEd
562 | author_order == 36
562 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
562 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
562 | reviewer == None
562 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
562 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
562 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
562 | publish_date == 2020
562 | publish_date == 12
562 | publish_date == 21
562 | avg_rating == 5.0
562 | tags_id == 768
562 | tags_name == Cell Death
562 | tags_id == 1032
562 | tags_name == Hair Follicle
562 | tags_id == 1033
562 | tags_name == Hair Growth Cycle
562 | tags_id == 1029
562 | tags_name == Hair Loss
562 | tags_id == 1028
562 | tags_name == Male-Pattern Baldness
562 | tags_id == 776
562 | tags_name == Skin health
562 | tags_id == 1060
562 | tags_name == TWIST2 Gene
562 | permissions_favorite == False
562 | permissions_rate == False
562 | content_article == <h2><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">encodes twist family bHLH transcription factor 2. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may play a role in male-pattern baldness by disrupting the normal development of hair follicles. LLLT, zinc, and L-carnitine may counteract the effects of these variants by stimulating the Wnt signalling pathway.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>TWIST2</em></strong><strong> and Male-Pattern Baldness</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/twist2/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene encodes twist family bHLH transcription factor 2. This protein, closely related to </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/blog/article/twist1-baldness-543/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST1</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, regulates the development of some types of cells. Most notably, it slows down the growth of a type of bone cell called osteoblasts. It is also expressed in large quantities in fatty tissues and in the skin [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/117581"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is believed to be a part of the </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/blog/article/wnt10a-baldness-550/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wnt signaling pathway</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which broadly regulates cell growth and division and is typically researched for its link to cancer [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5691155/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(15)36283-7/fulltext"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/80326"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mutations in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">cause genetic conditions called Ablepharon macrostomia syndrome (AMS) and Barber Say syndrome (BSS). People born with these conditions may present with [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4572501/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lack of eyelids</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Underdeveloped or absent ears</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Excessive loose skin</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sparse hair</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Poorly developed nose</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other abnormally developed body parts</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Poor growth</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The severity of these conditions demonstrates just how important </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is for the normal growth and development of a wide variety of tissues, including skin and hair [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4572501/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many variants in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> have significantly less drastic effects. At least three such variants have been associated with male-pattern baldness [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002746"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> appears to ensure the healthy development of hair follicles. Variants that disrupt the normal function of this gene may lead to poor follicle development and increased susceptibility to hair loss [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4572501/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is part of the Wnt signaling pathway that regulates cell growth and division. Disrupted </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> function may lead to poorly developed hair follicles and increased susceptibility to hair loss.</span></span></p> <h2><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>TWIST2</em></strong><strong> Results for Male-Pattern Baldness</strong></h2> <p>*6518841241979951*</p> <p><strong>TWIST2</strong> <a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs9287638/"><strong>rs9287638</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002746"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with relatively lower rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele may disrupt normal </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> function, leading to poorly developed hair follicles [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002746"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>TWIST2</strong> <a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs11684254/"><strong>rs11684254</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5691155/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14694"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006594"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-07862-y"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with relatively lower rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele may reduce </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> function, leading to poorly developed hair follicles [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002746"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>TWIST2</strong> <a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs4075018/"><strong>rs4075018</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002746"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with relatively lower rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele may disrupt normal </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> function, leading to poorly developed hair follicles [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1002746"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p>*8791692659911925*</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations for Improving Hair Growth</strong></h2> <p>*1299025221780942*</p> <h3><strong>LLLT</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Low-level laser therapy (</span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/my-review-of-lllt/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">LLLT</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) is the application of low-power lasers to the surface of the body. LLLT is believed to help stimulate hair growth through the wnt signaling pathway. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is part of the Wnt signaling pathway, so it&rsquo;s important to support Wnt if you have detrimental </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5691155/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28508243/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5691155/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">LLLT seems to stimulate the production of NO and free radicals, both of which act as messenger molecules to trigger physiological responses such as hair growth [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33111207/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The FDA approved this technique for male-pattern baldness in 2007. Meta-analyses of 11 different placebo-controlled trials suggest that LLLT may improve hair growth and density, both alone and in combination with conventional treatments. However, they warned that larger studies with longer follow-up periods and independent sources of funding are required to confirm these results [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29270707/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29286826/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30706177/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">LLLT may promote hair growth through the wnt signaling pathway.</span></p> <h3><strong>Zinc</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/literally-everything-wanted-know-zinc-backed-science/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zinc</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may help support the Wnt signaling pathway, which includes </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25912432/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5691155/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A study of 120 men found that those with male-pattern baldness had lower blood levels of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/literally-everything-wanted-know-zinc-backed-science/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">zinc</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/biotin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin B7</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30714301/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another study of 48 men with this condition, normal blood zinc levels were associated with the better success of conservative therapies and increased hair density [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7277952/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Good dietary sources of zinc include red meat, seafood, dairy products, nuts, legumes, and whole grains [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11053529/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Zinc may support the wnt signaling pathway. This could help explain why people with higher zinc levels tend to have higher hair density.</span></p> <h3><strong>Topical L-Carnitine</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exposure to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/carnitine-top-18-science-based-health-effects-carnitine/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">L-carnitine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> enhanced Wnt signaling in stem cells. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is part of the Wnt pathway, making these changes potentially beneficial for those with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">TWIST2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5367658/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5691155/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a trial of 60 men and women with baldness caused by male sex hormones, topical application of a solution with 2% L-</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/carnitine-top-18-science-based-health-effects-carnitine/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">carnitine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for 6 months increased hair density and the proportion of hairs in the active growth phase. L-carnitine promoted hair follicle cell growth while preventing their death [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17804203/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17927577/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a study of 60 men and women, two similar commercial solutions with L-carnitine, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/gamma-linolenic-acid/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">gamma-linolenic acid</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and a compound from soybean (equol) increased both hair count and the proportion of hairs in the active growth phase after 1-6 months of application [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30371981/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">L-carnitine increased wnt signaling in a cell study. Through this pathway, topical L-carnitine may help increase hair density.</span></p>
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562 | content_learn_more_8791692659911925_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your TWIST2 gene is somewhat associated with abnormal hair follicles. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of male-pattern baldness; it’s just one gene related to it. LLLT, zinc, and L-carnitine may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
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rsIDs = rs9287638,rs4075018,rs11684254
rsStatus = rs9287638,,chr2,238785990,C,A,T,,14,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs4075018,,chr2,239027985,G,A,,,36,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs11684254,,chr2,238787252,C,G,T,,26,0,Normal
