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.

See also

• Lysophospholipid receptor
• P2Y receptor

External links

• LPAR6 human gene location in the UCSC Genome Browser.
• LPAR6 human gene details in the UCSC Genome Browser.

This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.