568 | id == 568
568 | category_id == 30
568 | category_order == 27
568 | category_name == Hair Loss
568 | category_color == #C47AC0
568 | slug == BCL11A-baldness
568 | title == A Brain & Blood Development Gene in Male-Pattern Baldness (BCL11A)
568 | meta_description == BCL11A is mostly expressed in the brain and blood cell-producing tissues. How is it connected to male-pattern baldness?
568 | summary == <p><strong><em>BCL11A </em>is mostly expressed in the brain and blood cell-producing tissues. How is it connected to male-pattern baldness? Read on to find out.</strong></p>
568 | overall_score_text == Your Hair Loss Score (based on BCL11A)
568 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/BCL11A-Male-pattern-baldness.jpg
568 | author_id == 1
568 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
568 | author_title == BSc, BEd
568 | author_order == 36
568 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
568 | 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>
568 | reviewer == None
568 | medical_reviewer == None
568 | publish_date == 2020
568 | publish_date == 12
568 | publish_date == 22
568 | avg_rating == 5.0
568 | tags_id == 1073
568 | tags_name == BCL11A Gene
568 | tags_id == 1074
568 | tags_name == Blood
568 | tags_id == 460
568 | tags_name == Brain Development
568 | tags_id == 1032
568 | tags_name == Hair Follicle
568 | tags_id == 1033
568 | tags_name == Hair Growth Cycle
568 | tags_id == 1029
568 | tags_name == Hair Loss
568 | tags_id == 1028
568 | tags_name == Male-Pattern Baldness
568 | tags_id == 776
568 | tags_name == Skin health
568 | tags_id == 341
568 | tags_name == Zinc
568 | tags_id == 414
568 | tags_name == Zinc Fingers
568 | permissions_favorite == False
568 | permissions_rate == False
568 | content_article == <h2><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene encodes B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 11A. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may play a role in male-pattern baldness by disrupting the development of skin tissues. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by supporting correct BCL11A function.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>BCL11A</em></strong><strong> and Male-Pattern Baldness</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/BCL11A/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene encodes a protein called BAF chromatin remodeling complex subunit BCL11A or B‐cell lymphoma/leukemia 11A. BCL11A is a transcription factor, meaning that it regulates the expression of many other genes [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/53335"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5765401/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A is expressed primarily in the brain and blood cell-producing tissues and can be used as a marker for leukemia and other types of cancer. Mutations in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene can cause intellectual and developmental disabilities [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/53335"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5765401/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4974071/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5765401/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> mutations may have very fine hair and receding hairlines at a young age, among a long list of other possible symptoms. However, the majority of research on this gene has been related to neurological effects or cancer, and the relationship between </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and hair loss is poorly understood [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5765401/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some research suggests that </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> plays a role in the early development and organization of skin cells. The skin of animals without BCL11A is more susceptible to bacterial infection [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6851505/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5647389/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variant has been associated with male-pattern baldness. Researchers have not yet investigated whether this variant increases or decreases </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> function in some way [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><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;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> regulates the expression of many other genes and is mostly expressed in the brain and blood cell-producing tissues. One variant in this gene has been associated with male-pattern baldness.</span></span></p> <h2><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>BCL11A</em></strong><strong> Results for Male-Pattern Baldness</strong></h2> <p>*6171461709514967*</p> <p><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/BCL11A/"><strong>BCL11A</strong></a> <a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs2540917/"><strong>rs2540917</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></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Associated with relatively lower rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> </ul> <p>*7472085188174926*</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations for Improving Hair Growth</strong></h2> <p>*9686514675040724*</p> <h3><strong>Avoid Cigarettes</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who smoke cigarettes appear to express </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> differently from those who do not. Both smoking and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> have been associated with DNA damage, uncontrolled cell growth, and cancer, but the specific connection between the two has not been well-studied [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6851505/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several studies have associated smoking with an approximately 2-fold increased risk of male-pattern baldness. Cigarette smoke may cause oxidative and inflammatory damage in the hair follicles, impair hair growth, and reduce female sex hormone levels. A study found that the combination of smoking with being overweight increased male-pattern baldness severity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12673073/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28555720/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18025364/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32946667/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23629119/"><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;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cigarette smoke may alter the expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCL11A</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and increase the rate of hair loss in male-pattern baldness.</span></span></p> <h3><strong>Zinc</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The BCL11A protein includes a structure called a zinc finger that requires </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;"> in order to function properly [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/53335"><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 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;">The daily recommended intake of zinc is 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men. 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><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/"><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;">BCL11A requires zinc to function normally, and zinc deficiency has been associated with male-pattern baldness.</span></p>
568 | content_snp_table_6171461709514967_key == 6171461709514967
568 | content_snp_table_6171461709514967_blur == True
568 | content_snp_table_6171461709514967_hidden == False
568 | content_learn_more_7472085188174926_key == 7472085188174926
568 | content_learn_more_7472085188174926_blur == True
568 | content_learn_more_7472085188174926_hidden == False
568 | content_learn_more_7472085188174926_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your BCL11A gene is somewhat associated with disrupted skin tissues. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of male-pattern baldness; it’s just one gene related to it. Avoiding cigarettes and eating zinc-rich foods may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
568 | content_recommendation_9686514675040724_key == 9686514675040724
568 | content_recommendation_9686514675040724_blur == True
568 | content_recommendation_9686514675040724_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs2540917
rsStatus = rs2540917,MIR4432HG,chr2,60381624,T,C,,,37,0,Normal
