Entrez 10161 | Ensembl ENSG00000139679 | |
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External IDs MGI: 1914418 HomoloGene: 55925 GeneCards: LPAR6 | ||
Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 6 also known as LPA6, P2RY5, and GPR87, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the LPAR6 gene. LPA6 is a G protein-coupled receptor that binds the lipid signaling molecule lysophosphatidic acid (LPA).
The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the family of G-protein coupled receptors, that are preferentially activated by adenosine and uridine nucleotides. This gene aligns with an internal intron of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene in the reverse orientation.
Role in hair growth/loss
In February 2008 researchers at the University of Bonn announced they have found the genetic basis of two distinct forms of inherited hair loss, opening a broad path to treatments for baldness. They found that mutations in the gene P2RY5 causes a rare, inherited form of hair loss called Hypotrichosis simplex. It is the first receptor in humans known to play a role in hair growth. The fact that any receptor plays a specific role in hair growth was previously unknown to scientists and with this new knowledge a focus on finding more of these genes may be able to lead to therapies for many different types of hair loss.